Antibiotics haven’t been used at Chick-fil-A since 2014. That changed last week when the brand announced plans to shift from No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) to No Antibiotics Important To Human Medicine (NAIHM). The switch will take place this Spring and came in response to a supply shortage. 

NAE and NAIHM refer to how chickens are raised; the former means that zero antibiotics are used in raising animals, while the latter allows only animal-specific antibiotics to be used. Antibiotics that are used to treat humans are completely restricted. The move follows in the steps of Tyson Foods, who transitioned from NAE to NAIHM in 2023. 

While the Chick-fil-A press release does not offer further insight into the distinction between NAE and NAIHM, Tyson Foods’ transition specifically entailed adding ionophores to the diets of some of its chickens used for fresh, frozen, and ready-to-eat products. Ionophores fall under antibiotics unimportant to human health and are commonly incorporated into poultry diets to prevent intestinal disease, specifically coccidiosis.

“Quality has always been our approach to food. And because chicken is at the center of our menu, we serve only real, white breast meat with no added fillers, artificial preservatives, or steroids. Like other chicken in the United States, ours contains no added hormones,” the press release states.