Egg shortages force food industry to think outside the coop 

Eggs in the egg sorting plant at the egg company Eico in Bern, Switzerland. Up to 100,000 eggs are checked per hour in the egg sorting plant. Keystone / Christian Beutler

Culling of chickens due to bird flu and increasing demand has led to a spike in egg prices and given vegan alternatives something to crow about.  

Since January 2022, the United States has experienced more than 1,600 bird flu outbreaks in the poultry industry – the first major resurgence of the virus since 2016. Avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype are extremely virulent and can cause up to 100% mortality in chickens. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 168 million birds have died or been culled due to detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses so far. 

The loss of egg laying birds has sent the cost of eggs soaring to record prices in the US prompting the government to show it was taking the matter seriously. 

“The Biden administration did little to address the repeated outbreaks and high egg prices that followed. By contrast, the Trump administration is taking the issue seriously,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins wrote in the Wall Street JournalExternal link in February while announcing  $1 billion in fundingExternal link to protect the US poultry industry and reduce egg prices, on top of the compensation paid to farmers for culling their birds.  

“American farmers need relief, and American consumers need affordable food. To every family struggling to buy eggs: We hear you, we’re fighting for you, and help is on the way,” Rollings wrote.  

Europe’s poultry industry has also been affected. According to data reported to the World Animal Health Information System (WAHISExternal link) about 134 million poultry birds have died or been culled due to Avian influenza in Europe since 2021. The European egg market has not yet recovered. 

A number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been reported among domestic and wild birds in Switzerland. Farms in affected areas have been asked to confine their birds in enclosures for specific periods but no mass cullings have taken place.  

Consumer demand for eggs has increased. Common explanations are the image shift of eggs as a healthy food and the trend towards a protein-rich diet. Last September, the Swiss government had to increase the import quota for low tariff eggs by an additional 7,500 tonnes (a 43% increase) to meet demand. With Easter approaching, supermarkets are feeling the pinch. Switzerland’s largest supermarket chain Migros had to explain to its customers why their shelves are partly empty.  

“In 2024, demand for eggs rose by about 10%, while that for fresh Swiss free-range eggs increased by even more. Supply simply can’t keep pace with this demand,” stated Migros on its websiteExternal link. 

A sign at a Migros in Bern informing consumers of a shortage of Swiss eggs. Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle

Migros is relying on imports from other European countries to meet the increase in demand in Switzerland. This is also proving difficult.  

“Nevertheless, there are limits to these imports, since an increased in the demand for eggs can also be observed elsewhere in Europe,” says Migros.  

Plant-based alternatives as plan B? 

One niche food sector that could potentially benefit from the egg shortage are plant-based egg alternatives. These products are not as well-known as meat alternatives, but they also piggyback on trends towards ethical and environmental lifestyle choices and target flexitarians restricting intake of animal-based foods.  

One such company is San Francisco-based Just EggExternal link that makes egg replacement products from mung beans. They are experiencing significant growth due to egg shortages. 

“In short, we’re growing five times faster than we did last year and five times faster than chicken eggs. About 91% of our consumers are not vegan or vegetarian, and 56% of Just Egg buyers return for a second purchase (or more), signalling a permanent shift in egg-buying habits,” says chief marketing officer Thomas Rossmeissl.  

The trend can also be seen in Switzerland where the food tech sector is known for coming up with innovative products.  

“Yes, we have observed a noticeable uptick in interest for our plant-based egg alternatives, as a result of the ongoing bird flu outbreaks. Particularly from larger companies who look at egg often as a strategic raw material,” says Silvan Leibacher, co-founder & CEO of EggFieldExternal link.  

The Swiss start-up uses legumes like chickpeas and peas to replicate the taste and consistency of whole eggs, egg whites or egg yolks used in baking or cooking. Eggfield supplies its products to Swiss restaurants and bakeries, as well as international distributors like Bäko Germany and German Producers.  

Large containers (1,000 kg) of EggField product ready to ship to companies for testing. EggField

“This quarter we sold 53% more volumes than in the same period last year – egg replacement is definitely a topic in the industry,” he says.  

Swiss food multinationals like Nestlé and Lindt & Sprungli are not significantly affected by shortages because eggs make up very small proportion of their raw materials. However, Eggfield is getting interest from food companies looking for a plan B.  

“Over 40 large food manufacturers from whole EU are currently testing our products to mitigate potential future risk of supply shortages and further price hikes,” says Leibacher. 

Edited by Marc Leutenegger/ts