How Wendy’s is De‑Risking its US Beef Supply Chain

Wendy's is advancing its 'Good Done Right' sustainability framework through strategic supply chain partnerships that could demonstrate how procurement professionals can build resilience in agricultural sourcing.

The fast food company's collaborations with AgriWebb, AgSpire and cattle ranchers reflect a comprehensive approach to supplier relationship management, combining technical support, financial incentives and sustainability objectives to strengthen its beef supply network.

Liliana M. Esposito, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer at Wendy's, outlines how Wendy's is delivering on Good Done Right, which contributes to its efforts to build a more sustainable operation whilst securing long-term supply chain stability.

Strengthening beef supply networks

Much of Wendy's supply chain strategy centres on how Wendy's sources its food, working collaboratively with partners to strengthen the resilience of the US beef supply chain.

"These efforts not only protect the long-term quality and availability of our fresh, never-frozen beef, but also advance our efforts to source food responsibly and reduce our environmental footprint," Liliana explains.

Guided by its corporate responsibility strategy and commitment to quality, Wendy's has outlined progress made since publishing its 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report earlier in 2025.

Wendy's approach reflects how procurement teams can de-risk agricultural supply chains through strategic partnerships that address environmental, operational and financial challenges facing suppliers.

Legacy landscapes programme implementation

Wendy's has joined the Legacy Landscapes Programme, a rancher-focused initiative which aims to improve livestock and land management practices across key beef-producing regions in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. This programme provides both financial and technical assistance for ranchers to install adaptive grazing plans designed to improve rangeland management and ecosystem practices.

Initially launched with seed investment from Nestlé Purina PetCare, Legacy Landscapes is administered in partnership by AgriWebb, the National Grazing Lands Coalition and Regrow.

With additional industry collaboration, the programme aims to accelerate improvements in outcomes across the US beef supply chain, demonstrating how multi-stakeholder partnerships can drive supply chain transformation.

Fresh resilience cattle programme

This year also saw Wendy's partner with AgSpire to launch the Fresh Resilience Beef Cattle Programme.

The initiative focuses on supporting small and medium-sized backgrounders and cattle feeders in the Central Plains and Midwest to improve their nutrient optimisation, feed efficiency and overall operational resiliency.

Through this programme, participating operations receive technical guidance, tools and financial incentives to strengthen their businesses against weather, market and other disruptions.

The programme is also designed to improve yield and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, addressing both operational and environmental objectives within the supply chain.

Supply chain collaboration approach

Liliana says Wendy's investments reflect its belief that meaningful change in the food system "requires partnership and collaboration across the entire supply chain". 

She adds: "By helping advance resilient beef production, we're working to ensure that our most iconic menu item – our fresh, never frozen Wendy's hamburger – continues to represent quality and reflect responsible business practices."

Wendy's is also advancing sustainable sourcing in its packaging supply chain, working to ensure that new packaging aligns to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative's (SFI) certified sourcing standard, meaning the fibre in this packaging comes from responsibly managed forest lands. This milestone builds on prior transitions of fry cartons, chili cups and bakery bags.

"Guided by Good Done Right, we're scaling the practices that make Wendy's thrive, with a long-term view towards sustaining the ecosystems, people and partnerships that are essential to delivering on our quality promise to our customers," Liliana says.

"We look forward to sharing additional progress in our 2025 Corporate Responsibility Report, expected to be published next spring."