Wendy’s is a leader in the development and execution of quality processes and initiatives that are focused intensely on a safe and wholesome food supply – from our suppliers’ farms to the customer's table.
The quality, performance and innovation of our suppliers have a direct impact on Wendy’s success, as they play a key role in the delivery of high quality food. Our goal is to develop long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with our suppliers.
We take a leadership role in influencing positive behaviors from our suppliers. Among the initiatives we have with our suppliers are Quality Assurance visits to their plants to ensure the highest product quality. Suppliers undergo regular audits by both trained Wendy's Quality Assurance representatives and third-party experts.
In addition, we work with multiple trade associations and partners to support industry-wide efforts to advance food quality and safety standards.
Wendy’s Animal Welfare Program
At Wendy’s, we are take our role as a responsible corporate citizen very seriously, which includes the humane treatment of animals.
Wendy’s does not own, raise, transport or process livestock. However, we believe it is our obligation to ensure that all of our suppliers exceed government regulations by meeting Wendy’s more exacting standards pertaining to the humane treatment of animals.
Click here to learn more about Wendy's Animal Welfare Program.
A Conversation About Florida Tomatoes
Wendy’s is being targeted by an activist group called the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and its allies at other activist organizations.
CIW demands we make payments to employees of the companies who supply our tomatoes from the Immokalee area in Florida -- even though they are not Wendy’s employees. CIW is demanding an added fee on top of the price we pay our suppliers. However, because of our high standards, we already pay a premium to our Florida tomato suppliers.
We believe it’s inappropriate to demand that one company pay another company’s employees. America doesn’t work that way.
Our responsibility to Wendy’s customers is to negotiate directly with our suppliers – not third-party organizations -- to ensure our product specifications are met at a competitive price. If our suppliers incur additional labor costs, we would expect them to pass them on to us over time.
Actions by Our Florida Tomato Suppliers
All of the Florida tomatoes purchased by Wendy’s supply chain cooperative come from suppliers who participate in the Fair Food Program, which means they have:
1. Adopted the Fair Food Code of Conduct
2. Agreed to implement a system of health and safety volunteers, which affords workers regular and structured input into the safety of their work environment
3. Agreed to an independent and verifiable complaint investigation and remediation mechanism
4. Agreed to have compliance with the program independently monitored
5. Agreed to a worker education program conducted on company premises and company time
Wendy’s supports ongoing efforts by Florida tomato growers to improve working conditions for their workers.
Wendy’s Supply Chain – A Commitment to Quality
Since we opened the first Wendy’s in 1969, we have been proud to source most of our food from American farmers and ranchers. It’s a partnership built on mutual respect with an unwavering commitment to quality. This is important, because “Quality is our Recipe.®”
Farming and running restaurants are both hard work. Our restaurants are successful because of our managers and crew members as well as workers on the farm, in the field and everywhere in between. Our goal is to provide our customers with quality and wholesome food, good value and “A Cut Above” experience every visit. With the support of our suppliers, we work to deliver that every day.
Packaging & Recycling
While we continue to explore innovative opportunities to expand recycling efforts, one of the biggest challenges to recycling is that food packaging is not widely accepted by recyclers. Packaging that's stained with food residue is typically rejected due to contamination risk during the recycling process. In addition, a large part of our sales are through the Pick-Up window, so we're reliant on curbside recycling programs offered by many of the communities in which we operate.
It's a different story behind the counter. Many of our restaurants recycle corrugated cardboard boxes and used cooking oil, two items that can add up to a significant amount of waste for any restaurant. As it relates to our packaging, we are currently developing a framework that will be used across the Company to make packaging decisions that are more environmentally friendly. While we're working to do more, here are some current examples of our sustainable packaging efforts:
- Wendy's napkins are biodegradable, chlorine-free and made of 95% recycled content.
- The cartons for Wendy's natural-cut fries and chicken nuggets contain 50% recycled content (35% post-consumer).
- In 2009, Wendy's converted the salad bowls for our new Garden Sensations to a more easily recyclable plastic (PET).
- In 2010, Wendy's reduced the amount of plastic used in our salad carry-out bags by 20%.