18 Jun 2025

Huat Lai bets on cage-free

Huat Lai plans major expansion into cage-free egg production with 2025 facility launch, transforming animal welfare standards in Malaysia’s poultry industry.

Jess Ramanee

SAVE IN THE LIBRARY PDF FILE

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.

Continue after advertising.

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.

PDF FILE