Lever Foundation Praises The Original Pancake House for Cage-Free Egg Shift

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Popular national breakfast restaurant chain The Original Pancake House won praise today from non-profit Lever Foundation for its new policy goal of sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in its supply chain.

Founded in 1953, the Original Pancake House is a third-generation family-owned business with over 100 locations across the country. The company has always taken great pride in maintaining the highest standards that make their food so outstanding, from 93% score butter to pure 36% whipping cream to batters and sauces made fresh in each restaurant's kitchen. The company's new policy of using cage-free and free-range eggs across its locations is just the latest step in continuing to offer delicious and authentic fare without compromise.

"The Original Pancake House is proud to be shifting to using 100% cage-free eggs and egg ingredients across our supply chain," said company owner Elizabeth Highet. "The large majority of our egg usage has already been shifted to cage-free, and we aim to complete the full transition by 2027."

"We applaud The Original Pancake House for its leadership in using the highest quality ingredients for its guests," noted Astrid Duque, Sustainability Program Manager at the food sustainability non-profit Lever Foundation. "The company's new policy of using only cage-free eggs highlights its alignment with top standards for responsible, sustainable, and humane food sourcing."

Cage-free egg production, in which hens are given the freedom to move in open indoor environments, improves animal welfare and significantly lowers food safety risks compared to caged egg production. Exhaustive research by the European Food Safety Authority found that cage-free egg farms have up to a 25 times lower rate of contamination by key Salmonella strains than caged eggs, leading the EFSA to issue a recommendation to allow only cage-free egg production. An increasing number of consumers have also been leaving eggs off their plates as the best way to protect laying hens.

ABOUT LEVER FOUNDATION

Lever Foundation is a global NGO operating across Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America. The organization partners with leading companies to upgrade their food sourcing toward more humane, safe, and sustainable supply chains, with a focus on expanded plant-based food offerings and improved animal protein standards.

CONTACT
Astrid Duque, [email protected]

SOURCE Lever Foundation