JDE Peet’s is one of the world’s largest coffee and tea brands, with over $7 billion in annual revenue and a truly global presence.

In addition to its packaged beverage brands, the company’s cafe chains Peet’s Coffee and Old Town White Coffee boast close to 700 locations, half of which are in Asia. As a result of its work with Lever, JDE Peet’s also now has one of the world’s most comprehensive farm animal welfare policies.

Throughout 2021 Lever worked closely with JDE Peet’s parent company, JAB Holdings, to help its portfolio companies Caribou Coffee, Krispy Kreme and Au Bon Pain set timelines for ending the use of caged eggs globally. Building on that partnership, Lever began working with JDE Peet’s on a similar policy. Upon seeing it’s receptivity on the issue of animal welfare, Lever encouraged the company to adopt a more comprehensive farm animal welfare policy and provided detailed insights and recommendations on what such a policy should cover.

While JDE Peet’s did not take every one of Lever’s suggestions, it did adopt a comprehensive policy that will improve the lives of broiler chickens (those raised for meat), egg-laying hens, pigs, cows and—uniquely and importantly—fish. JDE Peet’s new policy will end the use of eggs from caged hens; require chicken suppliers to adhere to Global Animal Partnership’s standards on stocking density, enrichment and litter; require beef suppliers to prohibit tail docking and castration without painkillers as well as provide sufficient enrichment and litter; and require related improvements for pigs and dairy cows.

The policy will also require improvements in water quality and disease monitoring, lower stocking densities, and less-cruel slaughter methods for fish. (Although fish represent the majority of animals farmed for food few corporations have welfare policies to protect them, meaning JDE Peet’s pledge sets a valuable precedent for other companies to follow). The policy covers all locations globally, including nearly 100 cafes in China, over 200 in Malaysia, and 400 across Indonesia, Singapore and the U.S. The policy will improve the lives of an estimated one million farm animals per year by 2027.

JDE Peet’s commitment is another great example of how Lever’s engagement with food companies on one issue can lead to a broader set of improvements for animals. In the previous year, the Foundation’s work with Restaurant Brands International—parent company of Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeye’s and Firehouse Subs—on the cage-free egg and crate-free pork issues led to further policy work on broiler chickens, dairy cows and beef cows.

This work happened because of the support of people like you. Please consider donating today to build a more humane and sustainable protein supply in Asia.