Annie Evans
The growth of meal kit companies, successes for chickens and what’s next.
Meal kit companies, which deliver pre-packaged ingredients to their customers to make a full recipe, have been one of the winners of the COVID-19 pandemic. With people unable or unwilling to go out to shops, having more time for cooking and looking for ways to stay healthy, meal kit companies have had a huge boost in sales.
Gousto is one such company, and one of the biggest in the UK. Gousto astonishingly made the same revenue in just the first half of 2020 as it did throughout the whole of 2019. It is now looking to double its workforce.
There’s no doubt that this year has seen a change in the way people shop, and eat. But, with future growth of this sector looking likely, it’s vital that these companies safeguard the welfare of the animals in their supply chain.
Factory-farmed chickens suffer immensely. These animals are crammed into sheds of thousands and are bred to grow too big, too fast, so their bodies can’t keep up. They often struggle to even walk and suffer from painful, and sometimes fatal, health conditions.
With a focus on fresh food, many of these meal kit companies claim to be offering a healthy option, and even sustainability. But we know lower welfare chicken contains more fat and is less nutritious than it once was. These companies claim to offer a better lifestyle, with varied meals and adventurous cooking. But the trade-off could be chickens spending their whole lives suffering on factory farms.
That’s why we’ve been working relentlessly to get meal kit companies signed up to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). The BCC is an initiative created by leading animal protection groups, including The Humane League UK, to improve the lives of chickens reared for meat.
It’s a chance for the sector to lead other food providers in taking responsibility for the animals in their supply chains.
And so far, we’ve been successful. Companies like HelloFresh, Love Yourself, Nosh Detox, Fit Kitchen and Pasta Evangelists have already committed to the BCC, confident that it’s the right thing to do for both the animals and their customers.
But some have not been so eager to do the right thing. We will continue to work with, and against where necessary, these companies. We will not give up. With the growth of this sector looking to continue, it’s vital that animal welfare is put at the forefront, right from the start.
Please, support our campaign with a donation. Your donation could help us make the lives of chickens better by convincing companies like Gousto to adopt better policies.
Whatever you can give will go towards ending the abuse of animals raised for food.
