Vietnam sees massive movement toward cage-free egg production

A partnership has been launched to transition Nguyen Gia Livestock Production Cooperative’s 50,000 hens to 100% certified cage-free production systems. Photo: Global Food Partners

Global Food Partners has partnered with Nguyen Gia Livestock Production Cooperative, led by Nguyen Huu Tue, one of North Vietnam’s largest egg producers, to spearhead the country’s largest transition from caged to cage-free egg production.

With a flock of about 50,000 laying hens, the Cooperative aims to achieve 100% cage-free operations in 2025 through Global Food Partners’ technical expertise and Impact Incentives programme. This initiative supports Vietnam’s growing demand for responsibly-sourced eggs and empowers local producers to meet the 2025 cage-free commitments of food and hospitality businesses across the region.

At a signing ceremony held on 8 December 2024 in Hung Yen Province, stakeholders from across the food industry, local producers, and community leaders gathered to celebrate the partnership. The collaboration offers 2 solutions for food businesses looking to achieve cage-free commitments:

1. Direct cage-free sourcing: Companies can purchase certified, physical cage-free eggs directly from Nguyen Gia Livestock Production Cooperative.

2. Impact Incentives programme: Businesses can meet their cage-free commitments by purchasing Impact Incentives, which are cage-free credits that directly support Nguyen Huu Tue’s cage-free production and transition.

The world’s first egg credit trading scheme

Global Food Partners says that its Impact Incentives programme – the world’s first egg credit trading scheme – provides a flexible, cost-effective solution to sourcing challenges while driving sustainable change. By purchasing these credits, food companies can offset gaps in their supply chains, ensuring their cage-free commitments are met by December 2025.

For producers like Nguyen Gia Livestock Production Cooperative, Impact Incentives generate a premium income that funds the transition to cage-free systems, covers ongoing costs, and supports further expansion. This model helps both corporates and farmers to achieve their sustainability and business goals collaboratively.

Elissa Lane, CEO of Global Food Partners: “Our Impact Incentives programme drives the transition from caged to cage-free production and enables food businesses to meet their cage-free commitments on time in Vietnam and across Asia. By partnering with Mr Tue and his team, we’re demonstrating how local producers can achieve profitable, high welfare, cage-free systems and support the transition to cage-free supply chains in Vietnam.”

Technical Support and Capacity Building
As part of the partnership, Global Food Partners’ Science and Extension team will provide technical training and guidance, enabling Nguyen Gia Livestock Production Cooperative to adopt high-welfare farming practices, retrofit existing facilities, implement effective cage-free management, and achieve international welfare certification.