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Animal Welfare at CAVA

At CAVA, we are committed to sourcing premium, fresh ingredients, and working with those in our supply chain who share our values related to animal welfare and sustainability.

We implement the following standards for animal welfare with our protein suppliers:

  • No rBST for dairy

  • No added hormones for beef and lamb (chicken, by law, cannot be raised with added hormones)

  • No antibiotics ever (NAE) for beef and chicken

Salmon Welfare at CAVA

In 2026, we launched salmon for the Spring menu. Our no antibiotics ever (NAE) salmon is sourced from Norway, Iceland, and Chile.

We source our salmon from suppliers that uphold the well-recognized welfare-focused standards of Good Agriculture Practices (GlobalGAP) or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), two well-recognized authorities in welfare practices. Under these standards, our suppliers aim to support the health and welfare of the fish and the natural surrounding ecosystem.

Chicken Welfare at CAVA

In 2025, 90% of our suppliers reported meeting the welfare standards of: a minimum 3 inches of friable litter that supports natural behaviors and well-being, supporting natural lighting within the houses with at least six hours of continuous darkness and eight hours per day of continuous light, and meeting stocking density standards of 7lbs/sq feet or less. We remain committed to working with suppliers that are making progress for broiler chicken welfare.

Beef Welfare at CAVA

In 2025, 100% of our beef supply was sourced from Australia. All Australian beef served at CAVA followed the Australian Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS) Standards. Our Australian suppliers have reported to us that 100% of our beef volume have outdoor and pasture access for all their life.

Lamb Welfare at CAVA

In 2025, our lamb sourced from Australia followed the Australian Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS) standards. The US produced supply was guided by the American Sheep Industry (ASI) standards. Our suppliers have reported to us that 100% of our lamb volume is raised with outdoor access all their life and 74% have pasture access all their life.

We're committed to transparency and continuous progress, collaborating with our suppliers, and consulting with animal welfare experts to keep raising the bar.