The Open Wing Alliance’s (OWA) Fair & Fowl 2026 Cage-Free Egg Report is sure to ruffle some feathers within certain “Bad Egg” hospitality companies.
In case you are not familiar with OWA, it is a global coalition of 80+ animal protection organizations working across six continents to end the use of cages in the egg industry. Founded in 2016 by The Humane League, the OWA has driven more than 2,750 corporate cage-free commitments and monitors compliance. OWA works with companies at every stage—from drafting initial commitments to building roadmaps, connecting with cage-free suppliers, and implementing impact incentives in challenging markets.
The companies that have acted decisively are now the standard the rest of the industry will be measured against, OWA says.
The ‘Early Birds’
Getting high marks, aka the “Early Birds” in hospitality are Melco Resorts, Capella Hotel Group and Aman Resorts. “Best Western is making significant progress toward its commitment by purchasing cage-free egg credits,” the report adds. “Through their purchase, Best Western will help expand cage-free egg supply in regions where availability remains limited, while also demonstrating the company’s commitment to advancing its cage-free goals.
Other “Early Birds” cited: Club Med, Accor, Hilton Worldwide, Las Vegas Sands, Hyatt Hotels, and Radisson Hotels.
The ‘Bad Eggs’
Highlighted as a “Bad Egg” in the report: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to lag behind its peers, reporting only on properties with the option to buy cage-free eggs instead of exclusively sourcing cage-free,” the report says. “This is unacceptable and especially concerning for an organization celebrated as one of the world’s most ethical companies by Ethisphere.”
Other “Bad Eggs” joining Wyndham, according to OWA: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Choice Hotels.
“The cage-free transition is no longer a question of whether it can be done. Companies operating across vastly different markets and supply chains have shown that it can,” said Elisa Bianco, Senior Global Corporate Relations Manager, The Humane League, founding member of the Open Wing Alliance. “The small number of companies still falling behind are increasingly the exception. They need to fulfill their commitments or provide a transparent roadmap for how they will remove the use of cruel cages in their supply chain.”
Why Cage-Free?
Around the world, billions of hens remain confined to cages so small they cannot fully spread their wings or perform many natural behaviors. Caged housing systems restrict movement and are associated with serious welfare problems. Cage-free systems allow hens greater freedom of movement and opportunities to engage in behaviors such as nesting, perching and dust bathing.
With nearly half the U.S. laying flock already cage-free and cage-free egg prices coming down in 2026, the supply-side arguments for delay are eroding fast. Globally, cage-free is becoming the norm: By July 2025, 92 percent of cage-free commitments due in 2024 or earlier had been fulfilled,
Companies seeking to improve their standing in future editions of this report, or to begin their cage-free transition, can reach out to the Open Wing Alliance at report@openwingalliance.org. For more information on the global cage-free movement and how you can act, visit OpenWingAlliance.org. To access the 2026 Cage-Free Egg Report, click here.
Green Lodging News Welcomes Smarter Flush to Product Directory
Green Lodging News welcomes Smarter Flush to the “Toilets/Dual Flush” section of its Green Product & Service Directory. Water & sewer costs continue to rise. Using Smarter Flush’s innovative dual flush technology–the Smarter Flush Toilet Conversion Kit–your property can reduce its water and sewer costs by 20 percent or more. Smarter Flush saves water/saves money and improves toilet performance. There will be no more leaky flappers and troublesome chains. Because of the conversion kit’s low cost, there is a quick R.O.I. (Easy to install without tools in most cases. Go to www.smarterflush.com for more information. You may also call (309) 663-8451 or e-mail office@fassettsales.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes the Wednesday Green Supplier Spotlight and Thursday Green Suppliers Spotlight. Green Supplier Spotlight features just one vendor and Green Suppliers Spotlight features multiple vendors. Click here for a Green Supplier Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Both e-blasts that reach 17,774 subscribers have been built to generate quick leads. A report is sent a week after each e-blast that includes the number of e-mails sent, number of opens, and number of click-throughs. Contact Glenn Hasek at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com for more information.
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