Animal care considerations have been a core element of Wendy’s quality assurance and supply chain practices for decades and many of the requirements we’ve developed for our suppliers have set the standard for the quick-service restaurant industry. We are guided by our long-standing relationships with progressive industry experts, many of whom serve on our Wendy’s Animal Welfare Council, and our data-based approach to animal welfare. Over the last few years, we have expanded the council to include expertise in auditing, animal science, well-being and behavior, with specialties across our key protein categories. We tasked the council with helping us raise the standards we apply to our protein supply chain and the process for driving continuous improvement.

In 2020, we announced the ACSP and, with it, our intention to increase visibility across our beef, pork, chicken, eggs and dairy supply chains in the U.S. and Canada and document the best practices taking place in our supply chain. In 2024, we achieved our goal of evaluating all our direct protein suppliers across each of these supply chains as well as select upstream suppliers in each area, including a mix of large and small farm operations.

Through the ACSP, we were able to get a true sense of the scope of our protein supply chain, amounting to more than 20,000 farms and facilities across the U.S. and Canada. This figure underscores the complexity of our supply chain and the importance of continuing to engage and build relationships with our direct and indirect suppliers who can help us overcome barriers to progress. Looking ahead, we plan to continue engaging with suppliers on continuous improvement efforts, including through the ACSP, and by leveraging Wendy's Animal Welfare Council for ongoing guidance and support.