Developing Implementation Roadmaps to Save Costs and Meet Cage-Free Goals

June 7th, 2022

An interview with Dawn Neo, GFP’s Sr. Manager, Corporate Engagement

Food and hospitality businesses share with us that advocacy groups and investors have ramped up their focus on corporate accountability and transparency in Asia. For cage-free egg commitments, this means they now expect and monitor companies' annual progress reporting. Companies now understand that if they do not show real progress, they can become targets of public scrutiny, running the risk of greenwashing accusations and campaigns.

Creating change within a company's egg supply chain is achievable, but takes time, long-term planning, and the guidance of experts. When we work with clients, we start by developing their implementation roadmaps. These are tailored, localised strategies that enable companies to achieve their cage-free goals on time and communicate impact to stakeholders.

On 22 June, we'll be holding the webinar "How to develop cage-free roadmaps in Asia that meet your commitments on time and saves cost” (register here), led by Dawn Neo, our Sr. Manager of Corporate Engagement. She’ll present case studies of how we’ve developed roadmaps for clients in different Asian markets, enabling them to meet their commitment deadlines and benefit from cost savings and optimised egg supply chains.

This blog gives a sneak peak into what Dawn will be sharing on the webinar.

Question: What's the typical profile of the clients for whom you develop roadmaps?

Dawn: Our clients typically already have cage-free egg commitments in Asia. They want to be seen as CSR and sustainability leaders, and understand the risks associated with non-compliance. Many have spent years trying to implement on their own or by attending webinars that promote one-size-fit all strategies. They've become frustrated by the countless hours they've invested that haven't led to tangible progress to report.

Question: What's different about GFP's approach?

Dawn: We take a deeper dive into the challenges and opportunities particular to each company's situation and the local egg market. We assess many things, like where the company is in its implementation journey, roadblocks, supplier landscape, and strategies for cost savings. Only once we understand all of this do we develop their roadmap.

Question: How have you been able to reduce costs of cage-free eggs for companies?

Dawn: We know cage-free eggs cost more to produce. We also know how to reduce this cost for producers and companies. We’ll give a few examples of how we’ve helped companies save costs on this on the webinar. One company in Asia, for example, was importing cage-free eggs from Europe. They weren't able to locate any local suppliers. Through our network we were able to secure a local and much more affordable cage-free supplier, drastically reducing cost to the company.

Question: Can you give an example of a unique challenge you've come across when developing a client roadmap?

Dawn: One that we see more often than not is the difficulty in sourcing cage-free eggs in remote locations. This is often a challenge for hotels and food service companies. I'll share more in the webinar, but we recently developed a roadmap for a sizeable hospitality company with some very remote properties across Asia. There were no producers anywhere nearby and it was logistically difficult (and extremely expensive!) to deliver cage-free eggs from another part of the country. After speaking with local suppliers and the company’s procurement teams, we identified the best solutions that will allow the company to meet its commitment by its deadline, and that fit within the company’s sourcing budget.

Question: What's one piece of advice for companies considering a roadmap?

Dawn: Join our webinar and let's get started now on your roadmap! We can't stress enough how important it is to have a doable and actionable plan in place, one that takes into account the various intricacies of the different Asian markets. Our team has decades of experience working with buyers and egg producers, and is passionate about creating solutions and enabling change.