Marin Grocer Good Earth Cuts Ties with Perdue Poultry Amidst Animal Cruelty Concerns

March 11, 2026, Mill Valley, CA - Controversial chicken producer Petaluma Poultry has lost another customer following an investigation by animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), which exposed animal neglect and cruelty at the company’s factory farms and slaughterhouse in Sonoma County.

The Marin grocery chain Good Earth Natural Foodsshared on Thursday that it has decided to drop Petaluma Poultry, the California subsidiary of national poultry giant Perdue Foods. The decision follows complaints from customers and animal rights activists, who cited the criminal animal cruelty and widespread disease documented by DxE investigators.

DxE’s findings include birds collapsed on the floor or stuck on their backs and unable to walk to food or water, left to slowly starve to death; birds with splayed legs; birds with open wounds; and infectious diseases that threaten public health. DxE says the findings demonstrate clear violations of California Penal Code Section 597. In particular, birds who are collapsed and unable to walk cannot access food and water and it is a crime to deprive animals of "necessary sustenance, drink, or shelter."

Good Earth’s Communications Director Jessica Hurtado-Hansel wrote in an email on Thursday, “We are dropping Rosie’s Chicken (Petaluma Poultry) from our stores” and confirmed, “We are committing to not selling Petaluma Poultry products.” 

Petaluma Poultry, which sells chickens under the brand names “Rocky” and “Rosie,” supplies to major grocery chains including Trader Joe’s and Safeway. Unlike Good Earth, which took appropriate action after being informed of the cruelty, Trader Joe’s has ignored emails, calls, in-person visits, and dozens of peaceful protests at their stores and headquarters. Instead of addressing the animal cruelty in their supply chain, Trader Joe’s chose to sue the messenger; it filed a lawsuit against DxE last year to bar protests at its stores.

Good Earth Natural Foods is a grocery store chain with locations in Fairfax and Mill Valley, and a third location coming to San Rafael.

Several Bay Area restaurants have also cut ties with Petaluma Poultry following DxE’s investigation. This includes Playa Mill Valley, The Front Porch SF, and multiple restaurants run by Food Network celebrity chef Tyler Florence.

"Good Earth's name and brand image is completely anathema to doing business with a factory farming giant like Perdue Foods,” said Ethan Singleton, a Marin resident and organizer with Direct Action Everywhere North Bay. “Fortunately, they’ve chosen to do the right thing. I hope that other retailers linked to Petaluma Poultry will move their businesses in a kinder direction both for the animals and for the planet. Factory farming does not represent the best of who we are or who we can be." 

Petaluma Poultry investigation PHOTOS and VIDEOS
(Credit: Direct Action Everywhere)