The second-largest fast food chicken chain in the United States is moving towards eliminating antibiotics in its poultry. Chick-fil-A has committed to serving only antibiotic-free chicken in all of its locations by 2019. The company doesn't provide statistics for how much chicken it uses per year, but in 2010 it sold over 282 million chicken sandwiches. It has nearly 1,800 locations around the US.
To make the changeover, the company says it will be working with its suppliers — which include Tyson, Perdue, and Pilgrim's Pride — and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make sure that no antibiotics are used anywhere in the process, from the hatchery to the processing plant. The new chicken will be rolled in starting in 2015 as production levels increase, according to a statement.