“Mar-Jac Poultry, Chick-fil-A’s chicken provider, fined for child labor”, 6 August 2025

One of Chick-fil-A’s major poultry providers was recently fined for repeated child labor law violations, with children as young as 13 working at an Alabama-based facility.

Chick-fil-A, the nation’s largest chicken sandwich quick service restaurant with 3,000 locations worldwide, buys chicken from Mar-Jac Poultry, according to legal filings.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor fined Mar-Jac Poultry $385,000 after a child labor investigation found that the poultry processing company routinely hired children as young as 13 years old at its facility in Jasper, Alabama.

The investigation also found that 14 and 15-year-olds performed hazardous tasks such as eviscerating poultry, operating forklifts and working on the plant’s kill floor, according to the DOL. These children were also working overnight shifts between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., outside legally allowed hours.

…Investigate Midwest repeatedly reached out to Chick-fil-A for comment on the DOL’s investigation and its current relationship with Mar-Jac Poultry, but the company has not responded.

…The company said in a statement that it has complied with the DOL, but claims it did not knowingly hire underage employees.

“Mar-Jac only accepts job applications from individuals who are over 18, and is happy to agree with the U.S. Department of Labor to continue to do so. Our policy against hiring minors ensures that persons under 18 are not exposed to the risks inherent in certain hazardous occupations,” said Joel Williams, senior vice president of operations, in a statement. “With the resolution of this lawsuit Mar-Jac can focus on providing good jobs to adult workers and wholesome products to consumers.”

The company declined to answer questions about how the settlement has impacted its customers and whether Chick-fil-A remained an active buyer.