KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Malaysia’s retail, hospitality, and food service sectors are collectively reshaping the nation’s food landscape through a unified movement toward better welfare food production.
Spearheaded by leading retailers AEON Co and Jaya Grocer, this transition marks a historic milestone in the country’s progress toward responsible, transparent, and sustainable sourcing systems that protect both animals and consumers.
Selected AEON outlets have launched dedicated shelves featuring Certified Humane® by HFAC (Humane Farm Animal Care) cage-free and free-range eggs, offering consumers easy access to ethically produced food. Meanwhile, Jaya Grocer has emerged as a retail pioneer with the introduction of its house-brand cage-free eggs, “JS Eggs,” now available at all outlets nationwide.
Carrying the Certified Humane® by HFAC label, JS Eggs meet stringent global welfare standards and ensure full traceability from farm to shelf. This milestone positions Jaya Grocer at the forefront of Malaysia’s movement toward better welfare food sourcing and sets a powerful precedent for responsible retail.
Retail Sector: Setting New Standards In Responsible Sourcing
The retail industry has become the backbone of this transformation. Mydin has pledged to transition entirely to cage-free egg sourcing by 2030, while Beacon Mart aims to complete its transition by 2030. The Food Purveyor (TFP) Group, which operates Village Grocer, has made a long-term commitment to achieve 100 per cent cage-free egg sourcing by 2035.
These progressive moves demonstrate a deepening alignment between Malaysian retailers and international best practices for sustainable, high-welfare food systems.
Production Sector: Scaling Up Better Welfare Food Supply
To meet the growing demand for ethically sourced eggs, Malaysia’s leading producers have rapidly expanded their capacity. TC Poultry Farm and Huat Lai Resources Berhad have achieved Certified Humane® by HFAC status for their cage-free production systems, with a combined daily output approaching 100,000 eggs.
In parallel, Liang Kee Farming and Keris Aryan Farm have strengthened their Certified Humane® free-range egg production, supplying nearly 10,000 eggs daily to premium retailers and hospitality clients.
Complementing these efforts, Huat Lai has launched Certified Humane® pasteurised liquid eggs, while TC Poultry has introduced cage-free pasteurised liquid eggs in 5kg tub packaging.
Both are now being supplied to Malaysia’s hotels, restaurants, and bakeries, embedding better welfare food sourcing principles throughout the country’s broader food service ecosystem.
Hospitality Sector: A National Alliance For Better Welfare Sourcing
Malaysia’s hospitality industry has emerged as a national role model in promoting better welfare food sourcing. Prestigious global hotel chains including Marriott International, Hilton Hotels, Ascott Hotels, Accor Hotels, Banyan Tree, Hyatt Hotels, Meliá Hotels, and the iconic Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur have all begun integrating cage-free eggs into their procurement systems.
Within the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) hospitality cluster, numerous hotels, including Impiana KLCC and Traders Hotel, have also begun transitioning to cage-free sourcing as part of a coordinated sustainability initiative. This KLCC-based transformation reflects a growing awareness that animal welfare, quality assurance, and sustainable gastronomy are inseparable elements of modern hospitality excellence.
Further amplifying this momentum, Sunway Hotels & Resorts has formally committed to a full transition to cage-free eggs by 2030 across all properties, underscoring the hospitality sector’s leadership in responsible sourcing.
Restaurant And Café Sector: Expanding Commitments Across Brands
Malaysia’s major family and franchise restaurant groups are also joining the movement. OldTown White Coffee and Nando’s Malaysia have pledged to fully transition to cage-free eggs by 2027 embedding better welfare production into their national supply chains.
O’Briens Irish Sandwich Café has set a regional example with a 100% transition target by 2025, while Gloria Jean’s Coffees by 2027 and Chili’s Bar & Grill aims to complete the shift by 2028. Meanwhile, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Malaysia has established a long-term commitment to achieve full cage-free sourcing by 2035, reflecting its alignment with global brand sustainability goals.
These collective commitments across the café and casual dining landscape reflect a nationwide redefinition of culinary responsibility, one in which every meal served supports ethical supply chains and sustainable agriculture.
Education And Early Child Care Sector: Nurturing A Culture Of Compassion
In a move that connects food ethics with education, the SunShine Early Child Care franchise has announced a landmark commitment to serve only cage-free eggs in all its meals by 2028. This decision, grounded in the values of kindness and empathy, aims to nurture children’s understanding of animal welfare and responsible consumption from an early age.
By shaping awareness during tender developmental years, SunShine’s initiative represents a visionary step toward building a more compassionate and conscious future generation one that views better welfare food production as a shared social responsibility.
National Policy Alignment: Building A Sustainable Food Future
This broad-based transformation aligns with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s national call to “overhaul Malaysia’s food policy to make it more sustainable.” The widespread shift toward better welfare food production directly supports this vision by integrating welfare, safety, and sustainability into the heart of Malaysia’s food policy, and agricultural agenda.
According to Dr Saravanakumar S. Pillai, Senior Principal – Policy & Engagement for Farm Animal Welfare, Humane World for Animals, the collaboration between retailers, producers, and food service leaders signals a new chapter for Malaysia.
“This moment defines the evolution of Malaysia’s food system — where better welfare, compassion, science, and sustainability converge,” said Dr Saravanakumar. “Retailers like AEON Co and Jaya Grocer, together with forward-thinking hotel and restaurant partners, are proving that better-welfare food production is not just achievable but essential for a transparent and resilient future.”
Meor Ezree Syazrin Meor Abdul Ghani, Chairman of the Malaysia Cage-Free Egg Producers’ Organisation (MCFEPO), commended the multi-sector collaboration.
“The leadership shown by AEON, Jaya Grocer, Mydin, Beacon Mart, The Food Purveyor, major hotel chains, and family restaurant brands like OldTown White Coffee and Nando’s reflects a major cultural transformation in Malaysia’s food industry. Each cage-free egg produced and served represents progress towards a better welfare and sustainable nation,” he said.
From farms to retailers, hotels to classrooms, Malaysia’s journey toward better welfare food production is accelerating. Through sustained collaboration between Humane World for Animals (HWA) and the Malaysia Cage-Free Egg Producers’ Organisation (MCFEPO), the nation is on track to achieve a better welfare egg production and setting a new standard for responsible food production in the region.
This press release was provided by Humane World for Animals.
