eLong Hotel Group Sets New Milestone for China's Food Sustainability with Comprehensive Cage-free Poultry and Plant-Based Commitments

China's hospitality sector is seeing accelerating progress in food system sustainability, as more major brands adopt higher animal-welfare standards, plant-based options, and responsible sourcing practices. The latest is eLong Hotel Group, which has formally announced a dual commitment to cage-free poultry and plant-based protein expansion—a responsible purchasing policy covering chicken meat, duck meat, chicken eggs, and duck eggs, with a clear 2030 full-transition target, offering a replicable model for the domestic tourism and lodging industry. 

eLong will begin transitioning its hotel breakfast services and diversifying its menus with innovative plant-based dishes, putting animal welfare principles into practice across its poultry meat and egg sourcing while upgrading its food and beverage offerings. This unified approach reflects the group's broader commitment to corporate social responsibility and to advancing the green transformation of China's hospitality and tourism sector. 

eLong Hotel Group has established a strong foothold in China's domestic accommodation market, supported by its technology and R&D capabilities, an integrated supply chain, and a mature membership system. The group operates nearly 4,500 contracted hotels across more than 300 cities nationwide, ranking 7th among China's largest hotel groups and 19th globally. They believe that the hotel industry's core competitiveness lies not only in the guest experience, but in a sustained commitment to social responsibility. Setting a 2030 cage-free poultry target—spanning chicken meat, duck meat, chicken eggs, and duck eggs—alongside a robust plant-based protein strategy is one such commitment—one that protects consumer health and rights, respects animal welfare, and marks a significant step in the tourism sector's green transformation. 

"Our commitment to sourcing 100% cage-free poultry—chicken meat, duck meat, chicken eggs, and duck eggs—by 2030, alongside our goal to ensure that half of our menu offerings are plant-based, is more than just a supply chain decision; it's a statement about the kind of hospitality industry we want to build in China," said a representative from eLong Hotel. "We believe our guests deserve food choices that align with higher standards of food safety, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. We hope to show what it means to lead on values—proving that responsible sourcing and industry-wide impact aren't mutually exclusive."

eLong’s commitment is an exemplary reflection of the high standards and positive evolution being embraced by China’s hospitality industry. With nearly 4,500 hotels in its network, this single policy will significantly improve welfare standards across countless millions of servings of poultry meat and eggs and promote sustainable protein at a scale that exemplifies the new industry normal. This is a distinguished example of the power that hospitality groups have to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable food system.

Dou Siyun, Sustainability Program Lead at Lever China

By integrating its comprehensive Cage-free Poultry policy—covering chicken meat, duck meat, chicken eggs, and duck eggs—with its earlier pledge to promote plant-based dining, eLong plans to develop a broader sustainability framework: establishing formal industry standards, strengthening end-to-end management of food procurement, quality control and traceability, and embedding animal welfare, green ingredients and healthy catering practices into daily operations. The group also aims to serve as an industry role model, helping educate consumers on green consumption and sustainable lifestyles to support a healthier, longer-term development path for the hospitality sector. 

Looking ahead, eLong Hotel Group will continue to put consumer needs and social accountability at the center of its strategy, rolling out further sustainable initiatives, including green service upgrades and low-carbon operations, while refining its accommodation and dining experiences. Through these efforts, the group aims to advance its brand vision for green development and support high-quality, sustainable growth across the broader tourism industry. 

Media Contact

Dou Siyun

Sustainability Program Lead [email protected]