Scrambling to Find Affordable Eggs? The Worst May Be Over

Many of us are familiar with pandemic related inflation and the decreased supply we experienced in stores the past few years. The newest product affected by inflation? Eggs-- a vital ingredient for breakfast burritos, brunch frittatas, and holiday baked goods. Pandemic related inflation isn't even the greatest cause, though. So what's up with eggs costing nearly as much as the chicken it came from?

Well, according to ABC 7 NY, poultry flocks around the nation have been consistently reduced due to a deadly strain of the avian flu. Egg-laying chickens and turkeys have seen a drastic drop in population since early 2022. According to data from the USDA by the American Egg Board, 60 million birds died as a result of this disease, 43 million of which were egg laying hens (ABC 7 NY).

Not only is the avian flu to blame for recent spikes in egg prices, but an increase in feed and energy costs for producers has greatly contributed to the issue in addition to a heightened demand in stores. From January-November of 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that egg prices increased by 49% (ABC 7 NY).

Prices have been escalating for nine consecutive weeks... setting new record highs on a daily basis since the week of Thanksgiving -Karyn Rispoli, Editor of Egg Price Current (ABC 7 NY)

1.5 Year Aldi's Comparison

As you can see from this Johnstown local's screenshot of her Instacart shopping, the exact same eggs increased almost 5x in price in the span of only a year and a half.

Enough bad news; believe it or not, there is some good news. ABC 7 NY reports that wholesale prices of eggs on Friday, December 23rd were the same as the day prior, Thursday, December 22nd. This was the first time since October that prices had remained constant rather than increasing, Rispoli explains.

Experts believe that we are over the hump now that the Holiday season is over with, and can expect to see prices level off in about 3-6 months. However, it may take a little longer for the cost to return back to normal (ABC 7 NY).

Based on current trade values and market conditions, it appears that the market may have finally reached its peak. -Karyn Rispoli, Editor of Egg Price Current (ABC 7 NY)

If you're like me and enjoy using Instacart, but don't want to have to sift through all the stores and brands to find the cheapest eggs, check this out:

If you don't want to deal with high store prices, try your local farms. Some may have closed up shop for the winter, but there are still some farmer's markets going on like the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market.