Mothers in Hokkaido,Announces Cage-Free Commitment

Mothers Co., Ltd., based in Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido, owns its own layer farms, and is popular for the sale of sweets made from eggs produced there. The Animal Rights Center has been urging the company, known for its understanding of animal welfare, to shift to cage-free farming for several years.

Now, after reevaluating the relationship between chickens and humans through the COVID-19 pandemic and the avian influenza crisis, Mothers has decided to convert all of its farms to cage-free. Originally, one of the three buildings was cage-free, but preparations are now underway to convert the remaining two to cage-free (aviary systems). Soon, approximately 40,000 egg-laying hens will be housed in cage-free environments where they can freely spread their wings.

As a result, all eggs used in Mother’s Sweets will be cage-free (currently in transition).

The eggs produced by Mothers are also supplied to restaurants and consumer cooperatives in Hokkaido, with expectations for market expansion. In Hokkaido, where local production and consumption of eggs is the norm, egg distribution is highly susceptible to disruptions from avian influenza. This has led to instances where eggs completely vanished from supermarket egg sections.

Although not yet scientifically proven,cage-free farming seems less affected by avian influenza than battery cages, as suggested by the annual incidence rates. Therefore, transitioning to better egg farming is expected to support the lifestyles of Hokkaido residents. Undoubtedly, Mothers’ cage-free eggs will play a significant role in ensuring a stable supply of cage-free eggs throughout Hokkaido.