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SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2016 – The happy egg co., national free range egg brand committed to providing consumers with humanely produced eggs at an affordable price, today announces increased retail expansion of its organic egg line. With this latest expansion news, the happy egg co. has boosted distribution to more than 7,500 stores, providing more shoppers with the option to purchase eggs from hens raised with the highest standards of care. Specifically, the increasing distribution of its organic line provides the happy egg co. with an opportunity to address the need for better humane standards for hens that produce organic eggs.

As consumer demand for humanely produced eggs continues to rise, there has been a subsequent retailer demand for organic eggs from producers that provide higher standards for hen welfare. As a result, the happy egg co. has achieved coast-to-coast distribution in a very short time span. The happy egg co. free range organic eggs are now available in California, Colorado, Virginia, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Maryland.

The happy egg co. provides its hens with organic, non-GMO feed but goes far beyond feed to ensure its organic line is the best on the market. The happy egg co. is the only true free range egg brand that is American Humane Certified™ and gives each hen 21.8 square feet of space. The happy egg co. ensures that all of its hens roam outdoors daily on eight acres of land because any less would hinder hens from exhibiting natural behaviors, such as running, foraging, dust-bathing and flying. This news is even more meaningful in light of the USDA's recent proposal, which defines space requirements for organic egg producers. The USDA recommends giving organic egg-laying hens just two square feet of outdoor space to carry the USDA Organic label.

"Consumers purchasing organic eggs assume a certain level of quality in how their eggs were produced but egg carton labels don't really tell shoppers if hens were treated with care," said David Wagstaff, President and COO of the happy egg co. "Calling for an improved organic standard is a step in the right direction but two square feet of space is not enough space to allow hens to do what comes naturally. With our recent retail expansion of the happy egg co.'s organic line, we aim to inform more organic shoppers about improved standards for hen welfare."

National studies reveal overwhelming consumer support for responsibly raised food products, with roughly two thirds of survey respondents stating that they prioritize animal welfare as a significant factor in deciding what foods to purchase.* Still, the dizzying array of terms on egg-cartons and lack of regulated standards or clear definitions for labeling, lead to consumer confusion and a lack of confidence as to which products truly put animal welfare first. This further fuels the happy egg co.'s drive to grow its retail distribution at an accelerated rate to ensure consumers can more easily find organic eggs that come from hens where their welfare is the priority.

For more information about the happy egg co., please visit thehappyeggco.com or find them on Twitter and Instagram @thehappyeggco.

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About the happy egg co.

The happy egg co. operates under the highest standards of hen welfare and is the first commercial egg producer to be American Humane Certified™. The happy egg co. hens enjoy the freedom of the outdoors, spending each of their days under the sun, frolicking through acres of open space, socializing and flapping their wings. With access to more than eight acres of open pasture and nutritional feed and care from expert family farmers under the direction of Andrew Joret, the International Egg Commission's 2013 "International Egg Person of the Year," the hens are able to exhibit their natural behaviors and live more contended lives. The happy egg co. won Best New Egg in the 2014 Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards.

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