Eggs From In-Ovo Selected Hens Hit Shelves with Humane Certification
NestFresh is rolling out Humanely Hatched™ egg packaging in early July 2025, setting a new standard in ethical egg farming. The company now uses in-ovo sexing technology to avoid hatching and euthanizing male chicks—an industry issue long criticized by animal welfare groups.
This proprietary program, backed by Certified Humane® standards from Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), ensures that only female embryos are incubated. The eggs are laid by hens whose lives began with greater compassion, reinforcing NestFresh’s leadership in animal welfare.
“NestFresh didn't just adopt this technology—we spearheaded the effort to bring it to market in the U.S.,” said Jasen Urena, Executive Vice President of NestFresh.
The in-ovo system, called Cheggy, was developed by Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT). It enables producers to determine chick sex before incubation, preventing unnecessary waste and improving overall hatchery practices. AAT’s solution has been used globally with over 230 million eggs.
Farmers like Joe Klein are proud to be involved. “It gives me a lot of pride to know that we are doing something really important with Humanely Hatched hens on our farms,” he said.
The new cartons are also made from recyclable materials, reflecting NestFresh’s ongoing sustainability mission. Products under the Humanely Hatched™ label will be available at nationwide retailers including Whole Foods Market and Publix.
NestFresh continues to set benchmarks in humane, sustainable egg production, offering consumers greater transparency and a better choice for animal welfare.