
Ever wondered what lifelong isolation looks like? Poor chickens who have become mere sources of business and food to this cruel world live it every day until dead but, we can still help them.
KFC recently came up with the idea of faycation as the ultimate travel hack for a vacay from home which offers consumer’s favorites from US, UK, Australia, and Thailand. Does that mean Indian consumers will be served with chicken raised in higher welfare conditions just like they get in UK, US and Australia? Does the international menu authenticate international standards of raising chickens as well?
Open consumer letter to Yum! Restaurants India Pvt. Ltd
Dear Mr. Menon,
Brands like KFC and Pizza Hut have been the most trusted and popular fast-food restaurants in India when it comes to chicken. As a concerned consumer, I am writing to demand that Yum! Restaurants (India) Pvt. Ltd. should address the higher welfare requirements of broiler chickens in its India supply chain by signing on to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) (1). KFC and Pizza Hut have committed to sourcing higher welfare chicken in several European markets. Your customers and chickens in India deserve better too.
KFC Faycation is offering us the menu from UK, US, Australia and Thailand in India but does that mean we are being served with chicken raised with International standards too that KFC has committed to in UK, US, and Australia?
I am concerned that KFC and Pizza Hut are purchasing chicken from farms that aren’t aligned with parameters that fall under Better Chicken Commitment. I have often seen/ read that low welfare farming methods mean overcrowding of birds in barren environments not conducive to natural behaviour and use of fast-growing conventional breeds with various health problems.(2)
I am hopeful that you aren’t sourcing from such systems, but I would be assured with a public commitment from you on the parameters of BCC because such low- welfare production systems are more susceptible to the development and spread of diseases (3). Antibiotics are often used to allow these systems to function despite their conditions, driving the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria that pose risks to human health (4). Thus, caring for chicken health is equally important to health of consumer.
Higher welfare indoor systems maintain efficient production while allowing chickens the freedom to express natural behaviour. Also, higher welfare breeds gain weight at much healthier rates than the rapid growth after being fed with growth promoters in lower welfare systems.
Yum! Brands India has the responsibility to improve the lives of chickens by adopting the BCC commitment. It is necessary to improve the lives of millions of chickens nationwide every year and prevent the company from lagging on providing customers with the higher welfare proteins they demand and deserve.
I urge you to listen to your valued customers and take a step for a healthier and better future for all.
Sincerely,
Your customer
NOTE- Yum! Brands is legally registered in India as Yum! Restaurants (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Sources:
3 ‘Principles Underlying The Responsible Minimum Standards’, https://farms-initiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PRINCIPLES-OF-RMS-COPYRIGHT-FARMS-INITIATIVE-2021.pdf
4 ‘Valuing Higher Welfare Chicken’, 7-8
World Animal Protection India D-21, 2nd Floor, Corporate Park, Near Sector-8 Metro Station, Sector-21, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075 India