Free Range Egg Farms
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Owned |
AUS |
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Egg producers
The Leach and Holland families have been operating in the Australian egg industry since 1904 and 1945 respectively. In 2002 Ray Leach (Derodi P/L) and George Holland (Holland Farms P/L) partnered as Free Range Egg Farms.
H&L Premium Free Range Egg Farms | AUS | website |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
H&L Premium Free Range Egg Farms | ||||
In contrast to consumer expectations and free range eggs standards across the world, the government caved to pressure from a few industrial scale egg producers and major retailers to introduce a free range eggs standard in 2017 allowing producers to pack 10,000 hens into a hectare. The CSIRO, RSPCA, Choice and many others recommend a maximum of 1,500 hens per hectare. This company uses a stocking density of 10,000 hens per hectare for its free range eggs, well in excess of consumer expectations.
Source: company website (2023)
The Federal Court fined this company $300,000 in April 2016 for making false and misleading representations in its labelling and promotion of eggs as 'free range', in proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Source: ACCC (2016) |
Named and shamed in the 2013 CHOICE Shonky Awards. Ecoeggs, which claim to be free range, has a stocking rate of 20,000 hens per hectare. Choice say that's far too many for what most people would think of as "free range".
Source: Choice (2013)
This company has claims about its free range egg farms on its website.
Source: company website (2014)
This company's free range eggs are certified by the Australian Egg Corporation Ltd (AECL), the national industry body. However AECL's certification scheme has been widely criticised as they allow beak trimming and 14 hens per square metre - not much less than the 18 hens per square metre in cage systems.
Source: Animal Welfare Labels (2014) |
Company Details
Type | Family-owned private company |
Aus Manufacturing | Yes |
Contact Details
Address | PO Box 699, Northbridge, NSW, 1560, Australia |
Phone | 1300 784 464 |
Website | www.fref.com.au |
Products / Brands
Free Range Egg Farms
ecoeggs ![]() Field Fresh (NSW) Eggs Port Stephens (NSW) Eggs |