National Cage-free Egg Producer Receives “Certified Humane” Designation for Wild Oats Brand Eggs

Hidden Villa Ranch of Fullerton, Calif., has been approved to use Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) “Certified Humane” label on the cage-free and organic cage-free eggs that it produces for the Wild Oats brand. These eggs are sold in Wild Oats Natural Marketplace stores throughout the U.S.

“This event makes the Wild Oats chain the first in the U.S. to have independent, third-party-validated humane-treatment certification for its branded eggs,” said Adele Douglass, founder and executive director of HFAC, the Virginia-based nonprofit organization that certifies companies for their humane animal practices.  “Other chains may claim that they care about how farm animals are treated, but Hidden Villa and Wild Oats are confident enough in their practices to become certified by an objective, science-based, third-party certifier.”

Hidden Villa, one of the largest egg distributors in the U.S., supplies 100 percent of Wild Oats’ branded cage-free and organic cage-free eggs, which are raised on farms in Texas, Iowa and Washington. For more information, visit www.hiddenvilla.com.

HFAC’s Animal Care Standards were developed by a veritable “Who’s Who” of national and international animal scientists and farm-animal welfare experts.  Producer compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC’s third-party inspectors.  Nearly 50 companies have met the requirements for “Certified Humane” status to date.

HFAC is a national nonprofit organization supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), regional and local animal protection organizations, foundations and individuals. More information can be found at HFAC’s website, www.certifiedhumane.org.

Wild Oats Markets, Inc. is a nationwide chain of natural and organic foods markets in the U.S. and Canada. With more than $1.1 billion in annual sales, the Company currently operates 113 natural foods stores in 24 states and British Columbia, Canada.  The Company’s markets include: Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Henry’s Farmers Market, Sun Harvest and Capers Community Markets. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.wildoats.com.

News from Humane Farm Animal Care
P.O. Box 727, Herndon, Virginia 20172 – (703) 435-3883
For Immediate Release
Contact: Michele Wells, Humane Farm Animal Care – (303) 417-0696