Good Eggs for Better Life

The good eggs of the food industry are about to be recognised for sourcing and selling…well, good eggs.

The Royal New Zealand SPCA Blue Tick and Compassion in World Farming are partnering to present the inaugural Good Egg Awards in New Zealand.

Since 2007, the Good Egg Awards has rewarded businesses in Europe and Australia for sourcing cage-free eggs in the course of their operations. The programme recognises and rewards producers, manufacturers, food service, retailers and public bodies that act in sustainable and responsible ways.

The Good Egg Awards are open to food companies and caterers based in NZ sourcing eggs only from cage-free hens. Farmers, bakeries, cafés, restaurants, caterers or manufacturing businesses that improve the lives of laying hens or chickens raised in the supply chain may enter.

Supermarkets are eligible to enter for a ‘Commendation Award’ if they sell only cage-free shell eggs.

“We are extremely proud to be able to extend our SPCA Blue Tick programme by introducing the Good Egg Awards project to New Zealand business,” says Robyn Kippenberger, SPCA Chief Executive Officer.

“The awards will go a long way to extending the reach of the SPCA Blue Tick programme into the commercial arena. We believe consumers are very much aware of the need to protect the welfare of hens and that producers and retailers will benefit from the focus on humane farming.”

“While companies that do not currently have the Blue Tick can enter the awards if they use cage-free eggs, we expect the programme will encourage wider uptake of the Blue Tick amongst these companies.”

“Consumers have told us they want the Blue Tick as they can trust the SPCA brand,” says SPCA National Accreditation & Marketing Manager Juliette Banks

“We are being asked to expand it into restaurants, cafés and manufactured goods. This is of great interest to us at the SPCA because the manufacturing and hospitality industries use significantly more eggs and thus free many more hens from cages.”

To enter the Good Egg Awards visit www.rnzspca.org.nz/bluetick/good-egg-awards

European businesses such as City University London, Cadbury Cream Egg, European Parliament, McDonalds, Marks & Spencer, Ikea, Starbucks Coffee and Subway have previously won Good Egg Awards.

Applications close on 11 July 2011. The finalists will be notified during the week commencing 25 July 2011 and invited to the official awards evening, in Auckland on Tuesday 30 August 2011.

ENDS

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