An armada of 50 social justice activists, animal welfare groups and environmental lobbyists kicked off a campaign on Thursday to pressure Darden Restaurants, Inc., the parent company of Olive Garden, to treat animals better before slaughtering them. The coalition also wants the restaurant conglomerate to be more environmentally conscious and to nix the practice of tipping waiters when service is tolerable.
“Darden has a unique opportunity and responsibility to use its considerable purchasing power to support a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system,” the “Good Food Now!” coalition, which includes the Animal Welfare Institute, the Food Chain Workers Alliance and Friends of the Earth, said in a statement sent to The Daily Caller.
“We ask Darden to adopt better labor practices and greener menus that support the well-being of its customers, its workers, farmers, animals and our environment,” the group also said.
The activist alliance is demanding that Darden reduce its purchases of red meat and dairy products by 20 percent, obtain meat only from producers which meet certain above-industry standards and buy more organic food from farmers near its 844 international locations — including a trio of locations in Kuwait.
While Olive Garden, the ubiquitous casual dining restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine, is the focus of the coalition’s campaign, Darden does $6.7 billion in annual sales and owns a number of eatery brands including LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood. (The company also owned Red Lobster until 2014.)
The “Good Food Now!” coalition’s complaints about Darden’s corporate practices are many.
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“Darden claims it values and respects animals, but has shown little public commitment to improving animal welfare throughout its supply chain,” Animal Welfare Institute farm animal policy analyst Michelle Pawliger said in the group’s press statement.
“We urge Olive Garden and Darden to meet the growing demand for better meat raised without routine antibiotics and to reduce its carbon and water footprint by putting more plant-based foods on the menu.” Friends of the Earth spokeswoman Kari Hamerschlag added.