Meat, poultry and eggs sourcing
We purchase meat, poultry and eggs from suppliers worldwide.
We are working with our meat, poultry and egg suppliers to help address the environmental and other impacts of these production processes. All our suppliers are expected to comply with our Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements.
Key terms explained
Responsible sourcing
For Nestlé, responsible sourcing means improving the traceability of our ingredients and monitoring how they are produced. This involves applying our environmental and human rights requirements - detailed in our Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements (pdf, 2Mb) - at the different stages of our supply chain. Examples of these requirements include that land and resources of Indigenous peoples and local communities are respected, and that no deforestation and no conversion of forests and other ecosystems occur in our supply chain. Read more about responsible sourcing.
Responsible sourcing
For Nestlé, responsible sourcing means improving the traceability of our ingredients and monitoring how they are produced. This involves applying our environmental and human rights requirements - detailed in our Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements (pdf, 2Mb) - at the different stages of our supply chain. Examples of these requirements include that land and resources of Indigenous peoples and local communities are respected, and that no deforestation and no conversion of forests and other ecosystems occur in our supply chain. Read more about responsible sourcing.
Deforestation-free
Deforestation-free means that commodities in scope were assessed as produced on land that has not been subject to deforestation or conversion after a specific cut-off date that varies by commodity, but no later than December 31, 2020. Commodities accounted as deforestation-free include in part commodities subject to the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation. However, the scope of disclosed metric goes beyond these jurisdiction-specific mandatory requirements as part of Nestlé’s global approach on deforestation. Read more about deforestation.
Deforestation-free means that commodities in scope were assessed as produced on land that has not been subject to deforestation or conversion after a specific cut-off date that varies by commodity, but no later than December 31, 2020. Commodities accounted as deforestation-free include in part commodities subject to the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation. However, the scope of disclosed metric goes beyond these jurisdiction-specific mandatory requirements as part of Nestlé’s global approach on deforestation. Read more about deforestation.
Our progress
100
%
Learn more in the Environmental Disclosures section of our 2025 Non-Financial Statement (pdf, 16Mb).
Our approach to sourcing meat, poultry and eggs
Our main sources of meat, poultry and eggs are in North America (the United States) and Europe (France, Germany, Spain and Poland). Our Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements (pdf, 2Mb) set out minimum environmental, social and governance expectations for our supply chains, and we verify compliance through farm assessments, among other means.
We recognize that some improvements at farm level require time, investment and broader industry transformation. For example, transitioning from conventional housing systems to cage-free production often requires significant infrastructure changes and financial investments on farms, which need to be considered alongside the objective of maintaining product affordability.
We therefore work closely with suppliers and industry stakeholders on collaborative initiatives intended to support improved animal welfare and reduce the environmental impacts of livestock production. This is how we achieved one of the best industry performance in 2025 with 81.7% cage-free eggs sourcing globally. Learn more in the Environmental Disclosures section of our 2025 Non-Financial Statement (pdf, 16Mb).
Working to tackle deforestation in meat production
Over more than 10 years, we have worked on the ground to improve the traceability of our raw materials to assess and address deforestation risks in our supply chains. In 2025, 100% of our meat primary supply chain was assessed as deforestation-free. Learn more in the Environmental Disclosures section of our 2025 Non-Financial Statement (pdf, 16Mb)
Working toward net zero emissions
We aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, at the latest. Our Roots of Net Zero integrated climate and nature transition plan continually pushes us to seek new approaches to reduce our emissions. Activities associated with meat, poultry and egg production include land restoration and conservation activities, grazing and feed origins, and innovations intended to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions.
We are working closely with farmers in our supply chain to begin sourcing feed for livestock from farmers applying regenerative agriculture practices, aiming to avoid deforestation and help reduce associated carbon emissions. We also help them invest in innovative technologies to improve on-farm operational efficiency.
Key terms explained
Net zero
In 2019, we announced our ambition to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050 at the latest. In 2026, we updated our timebound plan, the Nestle Roots of Net Zero (pdf, 14Mb), which underpins our Group’s climate strategy and acts as our transition plan aligned with a 1.5°C pathway as validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We will balance any remaining emissions through high-quality nature-based solutions, such as agroforestry, silvopasture and the restoration of forests and peatland. Read more about net zero.
Regenerative agriculture
In line with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform, Nestlé defines regenerative agriculture as an approach to farming which aims to conserve and restore natural resources, primarily soil, as well as water and biodiversity, while capturing carbon in soils and plant biomass, and to support farmers’ livelihoods. Examples of regenerative agriculture practices include reduced tillage and agroforestry. More information is available in our Nestlé Agriculture Framework (pdf, 19Mb). Read more about regenerative agriculture.
Net zero
In 2019, we announced our ambition to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050 at the latest. In 2026, we updated our timebound plan, the Nestle Roots of Net Zero (pdf, 14Mb), which underpins our Group’s climate strategy and acts as our transition plan aligned with a 1.5°C pathway as validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We will balance any remaining emissions through high-quality nature-based solutions, such as agroforestry, silvopasture and the restoration of forests and peatland. Read more about net zero.
Regenerative agriculture
In line with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform, Nestlé defines regenerative agriculture as an approach to farming which aims to conserve and restore natural resources, primarily soil, as well as water and biodiversity, while capturing carbon in soils and plant biomass, and to support farmers’ livelihoods. Examples of regenerative agriculture practices include reduced tillage and agroforestry. More information is available in our Nestlé Agriculture Framework (pdf, 19Mb). Read more about regenerative agriculture.
Collaborating on net zero emissions
In partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Federation in the United States, Nestlé is enabling the adoption of practices that help improve the productivity of pasturelands, sequester greater amounts of carbon and restore wildlife habitat. The partnership engages ranchers on an individual basis to identify and subsidize solutions that make the best sense for their particular location, including prescribed grazing, invasive weed management, restoration and management agreements.
In addition, Nestlé has teamed up with the National Pork Board in the United States to support the implementation of regenerative agriculture practices in the fields where feed is grown for our pork supply. In this partnership, the National Pork Board provides expertise to farms that grow pork feed to test the amount of carbon in their soils and identify how best to help increase the amount of carbon stored over time.
Nestlé funds the implementation of these practices and subsequent testing to verify the amount of carbon reduction and compensate farmers for their efforts.
