Kroger Co., is "taking steps to suspend supply" of eggs from a Texas-based supplier which has been accused of torturing hens in one of their facilities.
Mahard Egg Farms, based in Proper, Tex., is a local supplier of eggs to Kroger's Texas stores in the Dallas and Houston markets.
According to an investigation by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, one of Mahard's farms in Sulphur, Okla., was shown to have been torturing and brutally slaughtering unwanted hens.
In a video posted by PETA on social media, workers are shown brutally beating the hens' heads against the sides of metal crates. The organization says that nearly 8,000 hens died in July and August due to the extreme heat in the shed at the farm. They said that in early August, more than 49,000 unwanted hens were beaten and gassed at the farm.
Mahard normally keeps up to 1.2 million hens at the farm.
In a statement released to the Cincinnati Business Courier, Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard said, "Mahard participates in the United Egg Producers Certified program for hen care. We were assured last week by Mahard's leadership that they immediately initiated an internal review of farm operations and began re-training their team in proper animal care. While the investigation is being conducted, we are taking steps to suspend supply from the facility shown in this video. We have also asked Mahard to share their comprehensive corrective action plan and timeline with us, which we will review in partnership with animal welfare experts."
Kroger has a corporate animal welfare policy that emphasizes the humane treatment of animals. The company says they align with the Food Marketing Institute's industry-adopted and industry-aligned animal welfare standards for animal proteins and require their brands' suppliers to meet or exceed standards established by food industry organizations, including the United Egg Producers.
In addition, Kroger says they are in the process of transitioning to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply chain by 2025 throughout their entire family of stores.
