Latest news with #UnitedEggProducers
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Costco Sells An Overwhelming Amount Of Eggs Per Year
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Eggs are the ultimate breakfast staple in the United States, there's little doubt about that. United Egg Producers reports that an average American consumes over 200 eggs every year, and the overall egg production in the States brought in over $93 billion in 2024 alone. One group of people that fervently loves their morning eggs are certainly Costco shoppers, considering that the wholesaler sells a truly remarkable amount of eggs per year. In 2015, Costco sold nearly 3 billion eggs, and, according to David and Susan Schwartz in their book "The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z," the number jumped to 4 billion by 2016. A big reason why Costco's eggs are so beloved among customers is that they are mostly cage-free. The wholesaler committed to selling cage-free eggs (which are different from pasture-raised eggs) back in 2007 and increased the percentage each year, despite catching some heat for not doing it faster. Per the store's Animal Welfare report, since 2019, over 90% of Costco eggs sold in the U.S. are cage-free. In the U.K., Spain, France, Iceland, and Mexico (since 2021), that number is 100%. In Canada, on the other hand, Costco only sells about 20% of cage-free eggs. The store still plans to increase the amount of cage-free eggs it sells worldwide (currently 70% overall), but notes that the speed of that depends on local resources. Read more: 12 Best Costco Prepared Foods To Buy And 11 To Avoid Despite the massive popularity, animal welfare commitment, and large sales numbers, Costco's eggs have been through some hiccups. In November 2024, over 10,000 units of Kirkland Signature eggs were recalled in one of the biggest Costco recalls of all time. The eggs were pulled from the shelves in five states over fears of possible salmonella contamination. Since 2023, Costco has also been battling a national egg shortage due to the avian flu, which has impacted many egg-laying flocks. This resulted in a lower percentage of cage-free eggs being sold at Costco in 2023 than in the previous years in order to keep the shelves stocked and the customers happy. In February 2025, the egg shortage became so severe that the wholesaler put a limit on the amount of eggs an individual customer could purchase -- an action taken by many other grocery stores as well. As a result, people waited in overwhelmingly long lines that spanned way outside the store just to pick up their three cartons of eggs. But in spite of these setbacks, Costco remains committed to its goal of selling 100% cage-free eggs in all of its stores worldwide, even though it could take several years to achieve this in certain locations. The company requires audits twice a year from all its egg suppliers (including the main farm behind Kirkland Signature eggs) and has even built a special app called "Costco Hen House" through which those audits take place. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Justice department opens investigation into soaring US egg prices
The justice department has reportedly opened an investigation into what is driving the sharp rise of egg prices, including whether top producers have conspired to increase them. Officials are also said to be looking at whether companies have held back supply. Their investigation is in its early stages, and may not lead to any formal action, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the matter. The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Guardian reported earlier this week on new research which suggests major egg corporations may be using avian flu as a ruse to hike up prices, generating record profits while hurting American consumers. Egg prices have soared to record highs this year, with the cost of a dozen large eggs hitting almost $5 in January – more than two and a half times the average price three years ago, before the avian flu outbreak. Experts have warned that prices are likely to climb further. The United Egg Producers, an industry lobby group, told the Wall Street Journal that egg farmers are 'doing everything they can to fight back against this deadly bird flu outbreak'.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The US Is Importing A Huge Amount Of Eggs From Turkey Due To Bird Flu
Bird flu is ravaging the domestic egg industry. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 123 million egg-laying hens have been lost to the disease since February 2022. The significant loss of birds, fueled by the safety practice of culling entire flocks when one infection is discovered, has driven the price of eggs to record highs. In response, American businesses are looking abroad for alternative import markets and have entered negotiations with Turkish companies. The two groups have instituted an agreement for the U.S. to import a total of approximately 15,000 metric tons (or 16,500 U.S. tons) of eggs from Turkish egg producers. The shipments, which began in February, are expected to continue until some time in July. Turkish businesses are projected to earn about $26 million in export revenue from the deal. American consumers can hopefully see some price tag relief — or at least more reliable stocks of eggs at grocery stores. Read more: Secret Ingredients Celeb Chefs Use In Their Scrambled Eggs The United States is a major egg exporter and generally relies on its own supply for domestic consumption. However, importing eggs is nothing new, as a small fraction of the U.S. egg supply comes from foreign sources. And Turkey is one of the top 10 global egg exporters — along with the United States. With restaurants like Waffle House adding egg surcharges, nationwide grocery stores limiting egg purchases, and even a notable egg heist, the domestic egg industry acknowledges the need for outside help. The CEO of United Egg Producers, a cooperative representing U.S. farms, told Reuters that "we support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the U.S. egg supply." Despite the devastation bird flu has brought to American farms, it is not a global pandemic, and other countries' egg industries are significantly less affected. This includes Turkey, which saw its first confirmed poultry outbreak of bird flu in over a year last November. This is in sharp contrast to the U.S., where hundreds of millions of birds have died or been culled from over 970 flocks in 17 states. Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. Read the original article on The Daily Meal.
Zawya
20-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Turkey to export 15,000 tonnes of eggs to US to ease bird flu disruptions
ISTANBUL/CHICAGO: Turkey has begun exporting around 15,000 tonnes of eggs to the United States as a devastating outbreak of bird flu is slashing U.S. production and sending prices soaring, a leading sector official said on Wednesday. Deaths of millions of laying hens imperil U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to bring down everyday costs, as grocery stores ration supplies and restaurants raise prices for egg dishes. Shipments to the U.S. from Turkey began this month and will continue until July, said Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. "The export will take place through our member companies with the required authorizations, while two firms will coordinate the process," Afyon said. "A total of 15,000 tonnes of eggs — equivalent to 700 containers — will be shipped," he added. The U.S. has been working to contain bird flu, which was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas last March and has since spread to more than 970 herds in 17 states. The virus has infected nearly 70 people since April, primarily farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cattle. One person who was infected died. The outbreak in poultry began in 2022 and has wiped out about 162 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, according to U.S. data. A surge in recent infections is fuelling egg shortages. "We support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the U.S. egg supply," said Chad Gregory, CEO of United Egg Producers, a cooperative that represents U.S. egg farmers. Faced with supply constraints, U.S. companies have sought alternative import markets, leading to negotiations with Turkish producers, Afyon said. The deal is expected to generate around $26 million in export revenue, he added. Turkey ranks among the world's top 10 egg exporters, Afyon said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had no comment on imports. The agency is rebuilding a stockpile of bird flu vaccines for poultry and granted a conditional license to animal health company Zoetis for a vaccine for chickens. USDA has not yet authorized the use of vaccines. (Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan in Istanbul and Tom Polansek in Chicago, Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, Alexandra Hudson and Bill Berkrot)
