Baja Fresh says pork suppliers need a gestation stall plan

Fresh Enterprises, LLC, owner of the Baja Fresh, La Salsa Mexican Grill and Canyon’s Burger restaurant concepts, announced that it is committed to purchasing pork only from suppliers with documented plans to end their use of gestation stalls.

The three restaurant chains combined have 279 locations worldwide.

“We believe moving to group housing systems for sows is more humane and sustainable than crate confinement,” said Chuck Rink, Fresh Enterprises’ president and CEO.  “Shifting away from gestation crate pork is in line with the commitment of Baja Fresh, La Salsa Mexican Grill and Canyon’s Burgers to provide the highest quality, freshest food.”

The news was released by the Humane Society of the United States, which has been orchestrating a campaign against pork industry use of gestation stalls. With increasing frequency, HSUS has been announcing plans by foodservice and retail chains to move away from suppliers who do not at least put plans in motion to stop using this sow housing method.

The Fresh Enterprise announcement follows those by CKE Restaurants and Oscar Mayer on Friday and a long list of major chains in recent months.

Since February, McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Denny’s, Cracker Barrel, Sonic, Kroger and Safeway, have all announced various moves toward sourcing pork from suppliers that do not use gestation stalls.