In 2016, Wendy’s set a long-term goal to phase out the routine use of medically important antibiotics within our protein supply chain. Since then, we have been actively working alongside our Wendy’s Animal Welfare Council and supplier partners to find ways to meaningfully reduce antibiotic use while still allowing for the treatment of animals when they get sick.
This work, combined with our efforts to build greater traceability into our supply chains through the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program, has allowed us to set key milestones:
Through the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program, we will map and report on the use of medically important antibiotics and will set targets and strategies to reduce the use of those antibiotics over time within our beef and pork supply chains in the U.S. and Canada. This will build on our work to date with progressive producers in our beef and pork supply chains who are helping us find ways to reduce antibiotic use through pilot programs and researching antibiotic alternatives, like probiotics, improved animal management practices, vaccines and more.
100% of our U.S. and Canadian beef, chicken and pork will be sourced from suppliers that prohibit the routine use of medically important antibiotics.
Antibiotic Reduction Progress
Since 2016, we’ve been working closely with progressive suppliers to find meaningful ways to map and reduce the use of medically important antibiotics within our beef, pork and chicken supply chains.
Reducing Antibiotic Use in Beef
As part of our commitment to gauge the use of antibiotics within our beef supply chain and to reduce it meaningfully over time, Wendy’s has engaged with a consortium of beef producers since 2017 on this topic. In 2020, nearly a third of Wendy’s beef supply came from producers who have made a science-based commitment to at least a 20% reduction in the use of tylosin, the most common medically important antibiotic used in fed cattle.
Learn More About Our Beef Supply >
Reducing Antibiotic Use in Pork
Wendy’s pork supplier partners have taken proactive steps to protect the efficacy of antibiotics deemed important to humans. By abiding by and following the Pork Quality Assurance® Plus program, they’ve all agreed to the following steps:
-
Take appropriate steps to decrease the need for the application of antibiotics
-
Assess the advantages and disadvantages of all antibiotic use
-
Use antibiotics only when they will provide measurable benefits
-
Fully implement practices for responsible use of animal-health products into daily operations
-
Maintain a working veterinary/client/patient relationship
Further, we are working with progressive suppliers to map, monitor and report on animal medical treatment histories through the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program in support of our 2030 goal to eliminate the routine use of medically important antibiotics.
Learn More About Our Pork Supply >
Reducing Antibiotic Use in Chicken
We have eliminated all antibiotics important to human medicine from our chicken supply in the U.S., which is Process Verified through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure compliance.
Wendy’s has been making steady progress on antibiotic reduction for several years, yet we’ve long believed that traceability is the key to driving real change
Going forward, the Wendy’s Animal Care Standards Program will set us on a path to fully understanding the scope of antibiotic use within our supply chain and will allow us to set strategies to achieve our 2030 goal—a goal that protects against the overuse of antibiotics and supports animal health.