Letting Chickens Be Chickens: Egg Innovations Transitions to 100% Free-Range Production
By: Robert Diamond Oct. 15, 2013
Egg Innovations, a US premium and organic egg producer, and one of the first and largest 100% cage-free egg producers since 1998, proudly announces it is now 100% Free-Range. As a trailblazer in the free-range movement, raising the bar on animal welfare and the importance of humanely raised food, Egg Innovation's family-owned farms are among the most innovative in the nation. To celebrate this breakthrough after an 18-month transition period, Egg Innovations will introduce its free-range eggs, certified at the highest industry standards, at grocery stores this fall.
"It is out of our commitment to top-quality treatment of our birds that we decided to transition all of our barns from 'cage-free' to 'free-range'," said John Brunnquell, President of Egg Innovations. "It has taken some time to make the changes, but we are now very proud to say that our company is now 100% free-range."
Egg innovations traces its roots to family farming in 1917, when Herbert Brunnquell purchased the 120-acre homestead where the company was founded. In 1967 Herbert's son, Paul Brunnquell, added the first chicken house to an already existing dairy farm in Port Washington, Wisconsin. In the late 1980's Paul's son, John Brunnquell, started to research, develop and eventually market reduced cholesterol eggs under the family farm name of Century Acres. This marked the company's entry into the specialty egg market.
In 1996, the reduced cholesterol eggs, known as Eggstasy, were patented. John's dedication to the production of quality eggs led to the introduction of Cage Free, Organic and Vegetarian eggs. In order to better reflect its innovative work, the company changed its name in 1998 to Egg Innovations, and established its three core values: Animal Welfare, Food Safety, and Family Farming.
Egg Innovations has been certified by Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) since July 2006. The company's commitment to the humane treatment of chickens and raising awareness about the housing and feeding of egg-producing hens nationwide has set the bar for sustainable egg production.
"Egg Innovations' commitment to the well being of the laying hens in their care over the years has impressed all of us," said Adele Douglass, Founder and CEO of Humane Farm Animal Care. "The Farmers and leaders at Egg Innovations have made whatever changes were required to continue to keep up with revised and improving standards and keep their certification," added Douglass.
Free-Range Brown Eggs
Free-Range denotes eggs that are produced by chickens that have a non-caged protective house and access to an outside scratch area. Egg Innovations hens are raised in roomy cage-free barns that protect them from inclement weather, predators, and give them a safe place to perch, roost, and lay. Outside pasture areas are also provided where they socialize and practice their natural behaviors in the sunshine and fresh air.
For its free-range barns, Egg Innovations contracts with family farmers who are dedicated to using traditional methods in egg production for a healthier, nutritionally-rich egg, while keeping the small family farmer on their land.
"We can't express enough how excited we are to announce that Egg Innovations is 100% Free-Range," said Brunnquell. "Letting chickens be chickens" is more than our motto, it's practically our mantra. It drives what all of us do every day, and we see it as a commitment both to our hens and to our customers."
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