Darden Restaurants

On its corporate website, Darden discloses a percentage breakdown of the top items in its food basket which the company updates on an annual basis and was last updated in its 2025 disclosure. Beef is the most purchased protein, followed by seafood, dairy, poultry and pork. This represents little change from its 2023 disclosure, with beef procurement increasing in 2025 by 2%, poultry decreasing by 1% and seafood by 2%. Egg layers are not included in this disclosure, suggesting that Darden’s exposure to eggs is not high. Darden does have a policy of purchasing 100% of its eggs from cage-free housing systems but it is unclear what percentage of the food basket eggs represent or the volume Darden purchases. Darden states that 97% of its beef comes from the United States.

Since 2019, Darden has included responsible antibiotic use in its Animal Welfare Policy and reports that it supports US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, that medically important antimicrobials (MIAs) should no longer be given to farm animals for growth purposes, and that all shared-class antibiotics should be used only to treat, prevent, and control disease in farm animals under veterinary supervision. FAIRR does not consider this a robust antibiotic policy for the company’s purchased proteins as it has not banned or restricted any classes of antibiotics beyond complying with local regulations. Darden discloses that in FY23 and FY25 it engaged with and surveyed all its vertically integrated broiler suppliers on the use of MIAs and found that all of Darden’s vertically integrated supply chain was compliant with FDA guidance for MIAs and most were aligned with guidance from the WHO. However, it is unclear whether it has a policy to ensure this compliance continues. Darden does not currently provide further details on which of the WHO recommendations and suggestions its vertically integrated chicken supply chain is aligned with. However, in early 2023 the company’s website included a target that Darden is committed to purchasing chicken raised without the use of MIAs by 2030. This commitment has since been removed from the company’s website.

Darden’s statement that it surveyed its vertically integrated broiler suppliers on MIA can be found in its 2025 Impact Report. This report covers all its US operations. If this statement applies to all its US operations, including owned and operated, operated, and franchised stores, it would cover approximately 97% of its global footprint. Darden does not disclose what percentage of its broiler supply is vertically integrated.

Darden discloses some evidence of tracking antibiotic use in its broiler supply chains. The company states that in FY23 it surveyed all its vertically integrated broiler suppliers on MIAs and found the majority were in compliance with guidance from the WHO for MIAs. The company repeated this survey in FY25 and states that all suppliers remained compliant with the FDA and most were aligned with WHO Guidelines. The company does not disclose its antibiotic use data or that it currently tracks and monitors the quantity of antibiotics used in its supply chain.

Darden states that in FY23 and FY25, it surveyed its broiler suppliers on the use of MIAs but the company does not publicly report this data. It is unclear if this survey was carried out by a third party. In its 2023 proxy statement the company stated it is using these learnings to develop pilot programmes to further its outcome-based approach but has not provided an update regarding this.

The company does not disclose evidence of a non-compliance procedure for its antibiotic use.

The company has not set any forward-looking time-bound targets to reduce antibiotic use in alignment with the WHO Guidelines.

This is not applicable as the company does not disclose forward-looking antibiotic reduction targets.

This is not applicable as the company does not disclose forward-looking antibiotic reduction targets.