Whole Foods Implements New Egg Standards For 365 Everyday Value Brand

Whole Foods Market Inc. said Thursday that it has implemented four new standards for the living conditions of laying hens that produce its 365 Everyday Value brand eggs. Whole Foods now requires that birds living indoors have perches, that they have equal amounts of indoor and outdoor space, that birds have access to grassland and rangeland, and that outdoor birds have mobile shelters. Mammal or poultry byproducts are prohibited in feed. Whole Foods has sold exclusively cage-free eggs in its dairy section since 2004. All 365 Everyday Value eggs have come from hens fed only non-GMO feed since 2016. Whole Foods shares are down 1.3% in Thursday trading, and down 8.2% for the past year. The S&P 500 index is up 15.3% for the last 12 months.