Malaysia’s Huat Lai Resources plans to launch the country’s largest cage-free egg production facility in Q4 2025, marking a major step forward in animal welfare and sustainable food sourcing in the region.
The company said the new site in Malacca will house 200,000 hens in a multi-tier aviary system—more than quadrupling its current cage-free capacity of 60,000 hens. This development significantly expands its cage-free operations, which began with Singapore-based subsidiary Chew’s Agriculture in 2012.
In parallel, 10 of Huat Lai’s egg barns, currently housing another 200,000 birds, will be converted to cage-free systems over the coming months. Together, these projects will form the largest cage-free egg operation in Malaysia.
Cage-free hens are raised in open environments, allowing greater mobility, which improves both animal welfare and food quality. According to the European Food Safety Authority, cage-free farms have up to 25 times lower rates of key Salmonella contamination.
“In the past 2-3 years, we’ve seen a remarkable shift in corporate demand for cage-free eggs,” said Edvin Lim, Group Business Development Manager at Huat Lai. “Hotels, retailers, and food chains now expect 100% cage-free sourcing — covering shell, liquid, and powder eggs.”
Retailer support in Malaysia
Retailers and hospitality companies such as Mydin, Jaya Grocer, Aeon Malaysia, Sunway Hotels & Resorts, Hatten Hotels, and Old Town White Coffee have pledged to adopt cage-free sourcing policies.
A survey by GMO Research cited by the company showed that 77% of Malaysian consumers believe eggs used by restaurants and food brands should be cage-free, and 62% are willing to pay more for them.
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