The Real Reason Wholesale Egg Prices Are Rising in New York — and What Restaurants Can Do

You may have noticed you’ve been shelling out more money for eggs. The reason for the egg shortage and price increase is due to a number of contributing factors. At Riveria Produce, we understand the past few years have been taxing on restaurants. Instead of scrambling to find the best prices, Riveria Produce offers excellent deals on oils and eggs that allow restaurants to afford organic wholesale eggs and bulk organic eggs.

Eggs, the quintessential cheap food, have gotten very expensive in the United States. But why is there an egg shortage? What is causing eggs to be so expensive? Here are five factors contributing to the egg shortage.

How The Avian Influenza Is Affecting Egg Prices

An outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) was detected last February. It’s a very deadly virus and affects chickens and hens at a high fatality rate. It has killed over 57 million birds in hundreds of commercial and backyard flocks. It’s affected over 44 million egg-laying hens. This means fewer eggs are currently being produced. Since most eggs in the United States are hatched in jam-packed facilities, transmission is next to impossible to stop. The virus has also been detected around the world, according to United Egg Producers, the trade group that represents most commercial egg farmers in the United States. So, the depletion of egg-laying hens is happening on a massive scale across the globe.

Some States Banned Previous Practices

Some states have banned the sale of eggs from caged birds. California requires cage-free housing, and similar rules were set in at least seven other states — Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. While a cage-free life is certainly better for animals, it also impacts supply. And currently, the demand outweighs the supply. From a different angle, it’s important to note that by 2024 70% of hens that contribute to the supply of bulk organic eggs will be cage-free.

Why Increased Costs Are Affecting Egg Prices

To protect bottom lines, many of the costs are being pushed onto customers. When it comes to wholesale eggs, farmers are experiencing increasing costs of fuel, feed, and packaging. Which has only contributed to the pricier and scarcer eggs. These increases force egg providers to raise prices. This leaves restaurants with the tough decision to eat those costs and lose money or put those additional costs onto their customers. This is a condensed version of inflation happening across the world, and it’s affecting a utilized ingredient.

Eggs are A Difficult Ingredient to Substitute

What can I substitute for eggs on a menu? When it comes to cooking and baking, yogurt and buttermilk are good substitutions. But what about dishes where eggs are the star? Search the hashtag #eggyoulkporn on social media, and you’ll find a collection of posts filled with photos and videos of this prized ingredient. The runny yolk is hard to replicate. Another option is liquid egg whites or products like Egg Beaters. While these won’t be helpful for orders that call for eggs sunny side up, they’re great for omelets or scrambles in a pinch.

Consistency Is Key

While not contributing to the shortage, restaurant and retail customers contribute to the increased egg prices. Those that source eggs locally may find a tastier flavor, it’s not for everyone. Many customers have become accustomed to the uniform mass-produced eggs that are often found in grocery stores and on menus. The orange hue of the yokes may throw off many customers, resulting in additional waste for the restaurant.

If you find yourself asking, where can I find wholesale eggs near me? Look no further than Riveria Produce. We offer organic free-range large eggs at affordable bulk and wholesale pricing. We make it easy to purchase through our website.