Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 8/31/15


After months of pressure from the National Resources Defense Council, Consumer Reports and others to do so, Subway officials said that they plan to switch their chicken supply to meat from animals raised without antibiotics important to human medicine in 2016, with other proteins to follow as supply allows, according to a report in Nation’s Restaurant News.

“We have been working toward the elimination of antibiotics, as are many other companies, which makes securing supply challenging for a chain our size,” a Subway spokeswoman is quoted as saying. “We are working with our suppliers to find a cost-effective, quality solution for our franchisees and customers.”

Other than the short-term goal for its chicken supply, the spokeswoman said, “[W]e cannot provide a date when all the work will get done as the demand is somewhat higher than supply right now.”

Several other QSRs and fast-casual chains, including McDonald’s, Panera and Wendy's have announced plans to eliminate antibiotics from their cupply chains or have begun testing antibiotic-free meat in their menu items.

Subway officials did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation on the report. Executives at West Liberty Foods, a major protein supplier to Subway, declined to comment on the report when asked today by Meatingplace.

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