ANALYSIS: US Shell Egg Prices Soar Past $7.00 per Dozen Amid Ongoing Bird Flu Crisis

Just over two years ago, the idea of the U.S. egg market surpassing $5.00 per dozen seemed almost unimaginable. When prices hit a record high of $5.46 per dozen in December 2022, industry participants largely believed that mark would hold for the foreseeable future. But an unprecedented convergence of challenges has shattered those expectations. The relentless spread of bird flu, combined with insatiable retail demand, has pushed prices past the $6.00 threshold—and now beyond $7.00 per dozen...

ANALYSIS: New Year, Same Challenge: Bird Flu Continues to Wreak Havoc on the U.S. Shell Egg Market

The U.S. shell egg market saw its fifth consecutive week of increases as of Friday, driven by robust retail demand and ongoing supply constraints tied to the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Earlier in the week, moderating trade levels hinted that the market might be nearing its peak. However, the detection of two new bird flu cases, affecting approximately 3 million layers, dashed hopes of stabilization and, instead, accelerated market gains.

Retail demand has remained unusually...

The Retail Rundown: Weekly Protein Recap; CPI Update

Seafood leads protein advertising for a third consecutive week, accounting for nearly 31% of total ad space. Pork follows with nearly 23% and beef makes up 21%. Chicken represents 19% of the advertising share, while eggs capture less than 1%.

The seafood category shows mixed price trends year-over-year (YOY), with fresh cod fillets discounted to $8.37 per pound last week—down 53 cents from the previous year. Prices for catfish and tilapia remained steady YOY, each averaging about $6.60 discounted...

European Shell Egg Market Concerned by New Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Italy and France

Italy reported an outbreak of the severe H5N1 avian influenza virus late last week. It was the first outbreak in Italy for several months, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).   

The outbreak occurred on a large commercial layer farm in the northeast believed to house up to 1 million birds, a market source told Expana.  

The same market source said that now that H5N1 avian influenza is back in Italy, coupled with the spread of other livestock and poultry...

EU Retail Egg Market Thrives Amid Festive Season Surge

With Christmas just a few days away, the industrial egg market has slowed considerably, with demand expected to remain subdued until mid-January. Several breaking stations have taken advantage of this lull to perform routine maintenance on their machinery.

In recent weeks, industrial shell egg prices have been slowing down, following their peak in late November. Currently, values for cage egg averages 2.05 €/kg, reflecting a marginal drop of 0.04 €/kg from the previous week. However, prices are still 24% higher than this time...

ANALYSIS: EU Free-Range Egg Prices Remain Firm Despite Broader Shell Egg Market Weakening

Following 16 weeks of rising prices, industrial shell egg prices in the EU saw a relief in the first week of December, particularly in the Cage and Barn egg categories, which saw significant price drops. However, Free-Range eggs remained an exception, with market participants continuing to face challenges in sourcing them. Despite the typical slowdown in buying activity as the retail and manufacturing sectors wrap up their year-end buying, Free-Range egg prices have remained resilient, holding steady at a...

ANALYSIS: EU Shell Egg Prices Show Signs of Stabilization

Since early September, shell-egg prices have surged by 60.7%, driven primarily by robust retail demand. As the dominant distribution channel for eggs, the retail sector has absorbed a substantial share of available supply, leaving fewer eggs for breaking operations. Consumers continue to favor eggs as a cost-effective protein alternative, particularly as prices for other proteins, such as beef, have risen significantly throughout the year.

Seasonal factors have further bolstered demand. Cooler autumn weather has encouraged more home cooking, driving up egg consumption...

ANALYSIS: U.S. Egg Prices Surge to Record October Highs on Retail Strength, Bird Flu Cases

U.S. shell egg prices have surged to a record October high of $4.32 per dozen—a staggering 95% increase since the start of a rapid rally that began on October 10. This rise in prices comes as strong retail demand coincides with a fresh wave of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which has impacted layer populations and intensified the tight supply situation.

Retail demand has been exceptionally robust in recent weeks, spurred by scattered promotional activity and widespread price cuts...

ANALYSIS: EU Shell Eggs Firming up as Consumption Progresses

The EU is experiencing a firm shell egg market, as it is common to see at this period of the year. However, market players on the supply side report that the overall egg production in the region is not following the strong progression of the demand from consumers and from processors.

According to Eurostats, graded shell eggs in the EU increased value by 6.9% between week 34 at 1,936€/MT (in the middle of August) and week 39 at 2,069€/MT (at the end of September)...

ANALYSIS: U.S. Egg Prices Stabilize After Sharp Decline, Amid Strong Canadian Demand, Retail Uptick

Friday marked the end of a four-week decline in U.S. shell egg prices, during which Midwest Large fell by a staggering 51.1%, settling at $2.12 per dozen. This drop came amid weak retail demand and increasing production levels. Throughout the summer, many of the nation’s largest retailers had employed eggs as a loss leader, boosting unseasonably strong demand as inflation-conscious consumers sought affordable, high-protein food options.

Summer is typically a period of reduced production, as egg producers cycle...

U.S. Egg Market Retreats from Seasonal Highs as Rising Shelf Prices Stifle Demand

A sharp rise in retail shelf prices across the U.S. has stifled consumer demand for eggs, bringing an end to a six-week rally that had pushed wholesale values to record highs for this time of year...

ANALYSIS: Industry Egg Prices Stabilized in the EU

Over the past two years, egg processors in the EU have endured fluctuating costs of raw materials, influenced by significant external factors that disrupted the balance between shell egg supply and demand. However, despite this volatility, prices for broken eggs have remained relatively steady for eight consecutive months. Since mid-September, values have fluctuated only slightly, ranging between 1.52 and 1.65 €/kg.

The stability in egg prices can be attributed to several factors, including favorable supply conditions during the winter without any significant disruptions from avian influenza...