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Chef Express wins the 2019 Animal Welfare Award

PRESS RELEASE

Chef Express wins the 2019 Animal Welfare Award 


Brussels, 27th June, 2019 - The 2019 Animal Welfare Awards, the awards that CIWF - Compassion in World Farming - attributes to virtuous companies, were consigned today at the prestigious Concert Noble venue. Two Italian companies were winners this year: ALDI Italia and Chef Express, company that manages the catering of the Cremonini Group, which have both received the Good Egg Award for having committed themselves to eliminating all the cage-breeding systems for hens from their supply chains, including enriched cages and so-called combined systems.

Chef Express, the first Italian company to stand on the stage of the 2019 Animal Welfare Awards, is one of the leading Italian operators in the travelling sector, serving around 70 million customers each year. The company has received the Good Egg Award for its commitment to eliminate cages for hens bred in their supply chains of eggs in shell and egg products. In addition, Chef Express is committed to eliminating not only enriched cages but also the so-called combined systems from their supply chains. These systems, although they can be labelled "free range", are composed of multi-storey structures equipped with "gates" which, if closed, can convert the system into a cage farm. These systems are unsuitable for the hens’ welfare and do not meet consumer requirements in the slightest.

Cristian Biasoni, Chief Executive of Chef Express, declared: "We are proud to have joined CIWF’s initiative. Chef Express's commitment is to be capable of contributing to the improvement of animal welfare and also, in particular, aims to develop in the near future training and informative events to increase the level of our consumer’s knowledge and awareness. This commitment is inserted in a more general framework of the strategic development of our company’s sustainability, both from an economical, social and environmental point of view".


Elisa Bianco, head of the CIWF Food Sector in Italy, said: "The commitments towards abandoning cages are becoming increasingly popular and our Awards are a great way to recognise the merits of those realities that are doing their part in improving livestock farm life and encourages the rest of the industry to follow their leadership. We hope - continues Bianco - that, as is happening with chickens, the era of cages may soon be over also for Italian rabbits, and that combined systems for laying hens remain only an example of an anachronistic breeding system, because any breeding designed to be converted at any time into a cage, continues to make the same mistakes as in the past: not putting animal welfare at the forefront".

Globally, there are as many as 50 leading companies awarded this year by CIWF. Thanks to them over 39 million animals each year will be able to live a better life.

Clicking on this link below you can download Chef Express’s complete policy on Farm Animal Welfare:

https://www.chefexpress.it/wpcontent/uploads/Policy_Benessere_Animale_Chef_Express_Rev.00_08.04.2019.pdf

Chef Express is the company that manages all the catering activities of the Cremonini Group, active in the segments of concession catering (railway stations, airports, motorways and on-board trains) and commercial catering. In 2018, it accomplished revenues of 626 million Euro, with 6,200 employees. In the Italian concession catering sector, Chef Express has 200 points of sale and is a leader in the railway station buffet market, with a presence in 46 railway stations (of which 11 are Grand Stations), and is active in motorway catering, with 51 service areas, and a presence in 12 airports. The company operates with its own brands such as Chef Express, Mokà, Mr. Panino, Gourmé, Gusto Restaurant, JuiceBar and Bagel Factory, along with licensed brands, such as McDonald's, RossoSapore, Cioccolati Italiani. In commercial catering the company controls the Roadhouse Restaurant chain, with 137 premises in Italy.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is recognised as the largest international organisation for farm animal welfare. Founded in 1967 by Peter Roberts, a dairy cow breeder concerned about the intensification of farming systems, CIWF collaborates through its Food Sector with food companies, inspiring the improvement of breeding standards through the assignment of the Animal Welfare Awards, prestigious symbolic accolades, and supporting initiatives that permit the achievement of concrete benefits for animals. For more information on the activities of the Food Sector and the complete list of all the winners, visit  http://www.compassionsettorealimentare.it.


For further information: 
Chef Express Press Office

Mr. Luca Macario. Luca.macario@cremonini.com, +39 059 754627
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