Global egg consumption to rise worldwide through 2024

Around the world, consumption of eggs in 2014 remains higher than a decade ago. This increase is particularly notable in developing countries where changing diets have people consuming a greater number of calories from protein sources like poultry meat and eggs.
In 2014, approximately 179 eggs per person were available for consumption globally. A majority of these eggs came from Asia, which has remained the world’s top regional egg supplier since 1998. The share of eggs supplied for consumption by large farms is projected to grow from just 4 percent in 2006 to 30 percent by 2020.
The United States, a leader in both consumption and production of eggs, saw its egg consumption rise since 2011 to a decade-long high of 263.3 eggs consumed per person in 2014. In 2015, however, the American Egg Board projects consumption will have fallen to 248.5 eggs per person annually. This consumption drop can be partially attributed to higher egg prices with a limited egg supply during the year as producers rebuild layer flocks affected by avian influenza at the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015. Experts believe that although the rebuilding of layer flocks may not be complete until spring 2017, higher egg prices are likely only to last through the end of the year.  In spite of movements toward organic foods, almost three-quarters of eggs used in the U.S. are those classified as non-organic.
The generally high consumption in these more mature markets like the U.S. reflects an extra uptake of eggs for processing, as well; in the U.S., for example, total egg production in 2014 was valued at $10.17 billion, of which processing accounts for more than one-third of all eggs used annually compared to just 11 percent in 1975 and 25 percent in 2005.
The rising egg consumption trend can be seen throughout North America. In Canada, where egg consumption volume sat at just 11.64 kg in 2010, about 13.35 kg of eggs were consumed in 2014.
A growing population and rising incomes has also supported increased egg use in the rest of the world. In Spain, at-home expenditure on eggs was estimated at 803 million euros (USD942.2 million) in 2014, notably above the 739.9 million euros (USD839.9 million) spent just a few years ago. Further, in the UK, for example, household spending on eggs has been on the increase almost annually since 2006. Per capita egg consumption in Brazil stood at 182 units in 2014, and the country’s Egg Institute hopes that by 2016, this figure will have risen to 208.

McDonald’s all-day breakfast a win for egg suppliers, company

McDonald's new all-day breakfast as part of the fast-food chain’s “Real Food Revolution” has been successful for the restaurant and its egg industry partners alike, according to Lance Richards, vice president, McDonald’s Menu Innovation Team. Richards was a guest speaker at the American Egg Board meeting in Rosemont, Illinois, on November 12.
After several years of declining sales and transitioning to a new management team, McDonald’s knew it had to make changes, and Richards said two main issues were identified:
1. McDonald’s wanted the consumer to interact with the brand on its terms and not on the consumers’ terms.
2. McDonald’s was giving consumers what was easy for them versus listening to consumers’ wants.
In order to address these issues, menu changes were made to focus on core products and elevate their quality, including the introduction of clean-label artisan chicken, cage-free eggs and clean-label buttermilk crispy chicken. One other important switch has helped to turn sales around: making McDonald’s breakfast menu items available after 10:30 a.m.

How McDonald’s implemented all-day breakfast

Under its previous management, all-day breakfast was always off the table because of operational challenges in restaurant kitchens, but according to Richards, the new management team and a new focus on listening to what consumers want turned that around. Test kitchen trials at McDonald’s Innovation Center showed that although serving the full breakfast menu all day wasn’t possible, it could focus on the menu items consumers want most and put together an offering that could help reset the business and “reset how people eat breakfast in America,” he said.
For example, as part of this limited menu, McDonald’s traditional Egg McMuffin is not available to the whole country all day long. Based on consumer preference research, McDonald’s divided the country into a “muffin” market (70 percent of the U.S.) or a “biscuit” market, in which 30 percent of the country has an egg sandwich on a biscuit available to them any time.

More eggs on the menu for the future?

McDonald’s all-day breakfast menu has been successful on many fronts, according to Richards:

• Both restaurant foot traffic and revenue have increased
• Eggs are now a feature on the menu all day, for which Richards thanked the egg industry’s great partnership and support
• Media and consumer responses have been overwhelmingly positive

But, McDonald’s is not stopping there, which could have a great impact on egg producers and suppliers. Richards identified McDonald’s main priorities going forward: focusing on the food and creating greater value for consumers. He said the fast-food chain plans to prioritize internal resources with a focus on customer needs; enhance what is already being offering to attract consumers beyond the $1-2 price range; and create new platforms that give customers a reason to visit. McDonald’s will focus on strengthening its premium and core products – including egg and chicken products – while becoming less reliant on the entry-value items over time, he said.
All of this is good news for the egg industry as it opens the door to more menu innovation with the poultry protein at McDonald’s. The fast-food chain will be able to experiment in the future with developing new menu items with eggs, not just expanding breakfast offerings but creating options that incorporate eggs into lunch and dinner, as well.

Debut of cutting edge and healthy egg products in Spain

Under the activities in celebration of World Egg Day, research for the discovery of new egg products went beyond the traditional. In Spain, driven by the Egg Research Institute (Instituto de Estudios del Huevo, IEH), the findings were very surprising.
Dr. Benjamin Paredes of the University of Oviedo used egg yolk as a starting point and fractioned it into two — namely granules and plasma. Granules are basically phosphorylated proteins, while yolk plasma is the fraction of phospholipids and cholesterol.
The egg yolk work and research conducted by Dr. Paredes has provided the basis for the development of mayonnaise, puddings and pastries. But applications go further:

• In jellies, snacks and energy gels
• In cosmetics and creams
• In packaging materials and coatings

Researchers at the University of Oviedo have as future objectives, the search for new applications that give more added value to yolk granules and plasma, for more specific applications, as well as extend the studies of materials that lead to tissue engineering to be used, for example, in implants.
On the opposite end, Dr. Marta Miguel of the Institute of Food Science Research of the CSIC in Madrid, presented the results of practical applications of products obtained from the egg white hydrolysate; providing ingredients with bioactive properties that include health benefits. Dr. Miguel's Biopep research group works with biologically active peptides released from the egg white by chemical hydrolysis. These peptides have biological activities such as anti-cholesterol or anti-viricide. In addition to hydrolysis they apply enzymes, which inactivate at the proper time to avoid unwanted byproducts.
These new egg products are used in meringues, fresh cheeses with a spreadable texture, ice creams, custards and snacks. The idea behind this work is to combine food production with science and health, resulting in tasty and healthy cuisine.
The IEH also offered a tasting session of the various egg products in foods prepared by professional chefs.

Eggland's Best reveals 'Chief Egg Officer'

Eggland’s Best searched from the mountains to the prairies for their next Chief Egg Officer (“CEO”), only to discover the winning candidate was located right in their backyard! New Jersey resident Kim Van Dunk has officially been named the Grand Prize winner of the Eggland’s Best “Chief Egg Officer Search” Contest earning her the honorary “CEO” title. Along with her new title, Van Dunk has been awarded $5,000 and a one-year supply of Eggland’s Best eggs.
“I am so grateful to Eggland’s Best for selecting me as their new ‘CEO.’ As a long-time loyal customer I know that Eggland’s Best eggs are simply superior in nutrition, freshness and taste, and I am absolutely thrilled to be in a position to spread that news,” says Kim Van Dunk. “I hope that more and more people will take a look at Eggland’s Best eggs and see them for the nutritional powerhouses they are. They will take any dish from ordinary to extraordinary!”
For this year’s “CEO” contest, entrants were asked to demonstrate their passion for Eggland’s Best eggs by answering a variety of questions including why they deserve to be the next “CEO” and what they love about the brand. The company then narrowed the entrants down to three egg-straordinary candidates: Mary Everette of Ohio, Jenny Stein of Texas and Kim Van Dunk of New Jersey. Eggland’s Best then turned to fans to help in the judging process by asking them to vote which of the three finalists they would name “CEO.”
“The title of Chief Egg Officer holds great importance to us at Eggland’s Best as the individual receiving the title will become a member of the Eggland’s Best family,” says Charlie Lanktree, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eggland’s Best. “As we welcome Kim Van Dunk to the Eggland’s Best team, we want to extend our gratitude towards her predecessor, Karen Petersen of Huntsville, Alabama. Karen has shared her passion for EB eggs and we will continue to view her as a valued member of our family.”
The two runners-up of this year’s “CEO” contest will each receive a $500 cash prize and six month supply of Eggland’s Best eggs. In addition to her $5,000 cash prize and year supply of Eggland’s Best eggs, Van Dunk will be receiving a nutrition consultation from Registered Dietitians Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos, also known as The Nutrition Twins.
“As a mom and true fan of Eggland’s Best, I cannot wait to share nutritious recipe ideas, using Eggland’s Best eggs, that Kim and her family can enjoy around the kitchen table,” says Shames. “Eggs are such a versatile ingredient and what I love about EB eggs is, compared to ordinary eggs, they are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and vitamin E, making it easier to provide my family the nutrients they need for optimal health.”

A thousand ways to prepare eggs

I am a firm believer in poultry proteins. And of these, I believe that eggs should take more of the spotlight than what they currently do. The reasons for this belief are obvious: production efficiency, high nutritional value and long shelf life without the need for preservatives or preservation methods.
Though eggs are good to eat at any time of day, in many countries they tend to be consumed in the morning for breakfast. In a country like Mexico, where on average we eat one egg a day, consumption increases even more during the weekends. People are relaxed and there is more time to get creative and prepare a longer, leisurely breakfast. It’s also very common to go out for breakfast with family and friends.
A few days ago, on a typical Saturday morning, I went out with my family for breakfast to a casual restaurant in Mexico City. Despite being ready to order my usual, I took a look at the breakfast menu and I was amazed to see that in addition to the traditional breakfast offerings, there were at least 30 different ways to prepare eggs.
This made me ponder the Mexican miracle of the 365 eggs (or more) per person per year and how part of consumption this lies greatly on culinary inventiveness. Because of its versatility, the egg is a product that can be combined with many ingredients and can be prepared in many different ways.
In short, the egg industry should seek the expertise of chefs, food technologists, nutritionists and culinary experts in future marketing efforts in to order to boost consumption.

McDonald’s all-day breakfast could come this fall

• 

  WATTAgNet

  McDonald's is getting closer to a decision on whether it will offer all-day breakfast at all locations in the U.S.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Quick service restaurant chain McDonald’s has yet to commit to serving breakfast at all times of the day, but it has told its franchisees in the United States to be prepared to do so as soon as this fall.
  However, the types of breakfast foods made available all day have not been revealed. One such McDonald’s breakfast item – the Egg McMuffin – may not be feasible to serve all day, reported the Chicago Sun-Times, as a nationwide egg shortage and subsequent high egg prices have resulted from the North American avian influenza outbreak.
  McDonald’s in March began a test to serve an all-day breakfast at select locations in the San Diego area of California. Similar testing was done at locations in Mississippi and Tennessee.
  While the company has stopped short of committing to serving an all-day breakfast at locations nationwide, it has stated that it is an idea that has been embraced well by consumers.
  “Serving all-day breakfast is likely the No. 1 request we hear from McDonald’s customers,” the company said in a statement. “We’re testing it out in a few markets to learn more about this possibility. We know your mouth is watering, but there’s no news on this yet.”
  Concerns have been expressed that many McDonald’s restaurants lack the available grill space to serve breakfast foods simultaneously with burgers and other grilled sandwiches.

China’s egg supply will exceed demand in 2015

China Animal Agriculture Association
Yang Ning discusses an oversupply of eggs in China that is affecting egg prices. 
China’s layer industry will experience an oversupply in 2015 that will lead to the fall of egg prices.
Professor of China Agricultural University, Chief Scientist of the National System for Layer Production Technology Yang Ning recently delivered a speech on the situation, analyzing China’s layer industry at the Seventh China Layer Industry Development Conference.
He said that the Chinese layer industry is being standardized. Although the industry is progressing, and production is improving, he forecasted that the egg supply will still exceed demand in 2015, egg prices will continue to fall and lead to the cut of benefits.
Yang said his forecasts originated from his consideration of the challenges confronting China’s layer industry, such as the overcapacity, the threats of diseases due to invalid biosecurity systems and food safety problems.
Yang pointed out that, in the past year, egg prices hit record highs. The average retail price of egg was CNY10.33 (US$1.69)/kg from Jan, 2013 to May, 2015. In Sept, 2014, retail price of egg peaked to CNY12.2/kg. So, the rebound of egg prices motivated the layer farmers. From February to May, researchers monitored that egg production continued to rise, and led to oversupply, Yang said.
Yang said, now, the prices of the eggs are subject to changes in supply and demand and the
Chinese layer industry
is still stuck in its three-year cycle.

HATCH extends program after donating 100K eggs

After providing 100,039 eggs to more than 8,000 families in Indiana during a 10-week pilot program, HATCH has announced it will extend its program with The Kroger Co. and Rose Acre Farms through 2015. This announcement was made during a special event at Gleaners Food Bank, one of two food banks distributing HATCH eggs to food pantries throughout Central Indiana. Officials also said HATCH, which is providing a new way consumers, food stores and farmers can work together to make eggs available to undernourished people, will continue exploring opportunities to expand its reach to other communities.
“HATCH is becoming a sustainable model for how people can work together locally to fight undernourishment and make a real, tangible difference in their communities,” said Bert Payne, operations leader for HATCH for Hunger at Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company. “The beauty of HATCH is that it is giving more people access to nutrient-rich eggs, even in the face of today’s higher prices due to reduced U.S. egg supplies.”
The HATCH pilot program, which involved 65 Central Indiana Kroger stores, provided one egg to a local food bank for each dozen Kroger-brand medium eggs purchased from April 13 through June 20. So far, 8,336 dozen (100,039 eggs) have been donated through Gleaners Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank.
“HATCH is gratitude, and gratitude is the smiles and thanks of the people receiving the eggs,” said Cindy Hubert, president and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank. “One mother who received HATCH eggs told me, ‘the HATCH program gave us the opportunity to have healthy food for breakfast instead of just eating junk food … it makes a difference.'"
Even as one in four children in Marion County, IN, lives in poverty, many more people throughout the United States also are chronically undernourished. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals, which makes them especially helpful in the fight against hunger. One egg provides nutrients that can improve brain function in people of all ages, and delivers half the protein a young child needs each day.
"Rose Acre Farms is proud to partner with Elanco and Kroger on a project as critical as hunger," said Amanda Jackson, director of sales, Rose Acre Farms. "HATCH has been a tremendous success due to the support of our local communities and Kroger shoppers. We recognize that nutritious foods are often hard to obtain for food-insecure families and that America’s food banks find it incredibly difficult to acquire high-quality proteins. We are thrilled to meet this need by providing healthy, nutrient-dense eggs that will provide the protein and essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial for muscle, brain and eye development."
"We are extremely proud of the generosity of Kroger customers and associates who rallied behind HATCH to help neighbors put nutritious food on their plates,” said John Elliott, manager of public affairs, The Kroger Co. “That’s why we are thrilled to announce the extension of HATCH in 65 Central Indiana stores through Dec. 31. Like our long-standing Perishable Donation Partnership, which has donated more than 195 million meals to community food banks, HATCH is another way we can work together to combat undernourishment.”
Elanco, the company that developed HATCH for Hunger, plans to build on the HATCH pilot program to develop similar initiatives that can bring food security to other locations in the United States and additional countries.

Eggland's Best voted America's most trusted egg brand

With so many products readily available on store shelves, it’s hard to know what to trust...which is why BrandSpark and Better Homes and Gardens enlisted the help of 80,000 American shoppers. From eggs to coffee to chips, participants in the 2015 BrandSpark/Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study survey were asked to name which brands they have come to depend on; topping this year’s list as America’s most trusted egg is Eggland’s Best.
“Brands earning the title ‘Most Trusted’ in the 2015 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards Program are dedicated to providing their customers with high quality products,” says Robert Levy, President and CEO of BrandSpark International. “In fact, American shoppers cited that Eggland’s Best tasted better than other eggs, were better in nutritional value and appeared to be fresher in taste and appearance.”
Eggland’s Best attributes its product’s better taste, nutrition, and freshness to the brand’s strict quality assurance program and proprietary hen feed. Eggland’s Best eggs contain 25 percent less saturated fat, ten times more vitamin E, four times more vitamin D and more than double the omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary eggs. In addition, a recent study in the Journal of Applied Poultry Research showed that Eggland’s Best eggs stay fresher longer than ordinary eggs.
“At Eggland’s Best, our goal is to provide customers with the best tasting, most nutritious and freshest egg,” says Charlie Lanktree, President and CEO of Eggland’s Best. “We are proud that our efforts have led consumers to vote Eggland’s Best ‘America’s Most Trusted egg brand’ in the 2015 BrandSpark/Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study.  And we are very thankful that consumers have voted for Eggland’s Best with their pocketbooks at the store…their support has allowed Eggland’s best to achieve 18 consecutive years of amazing growth.”

Consumer purchases drive donations of HATCH eggs

In the first four weeks since HATCH was announced, 5,250 families in Central Indiana have received a dozen eggs. This means more than 63,000 eggs have helped people of all ages fight undernourishment through the power of egg protein. HATCH is a unique program that offers a new way consumers, food stores and farmers can work together to provide eggs to undernourished people. The pilot program continues through June 20, with HATCH providing one egg to a local food bank for each dozen Kroger-brand medium eggs purchased.
"Thanks to the incredible support from local residents, HATCH is having an immediate impact on fighting hunger and undernourishment in Indiana,” said Mitch Davis, director of Global Shared Value at Elanco Animal Health, the company that facilitates HATCH. “Being able to direct a donation of protein-rich eggs by simply purchasing eggs for their own family's use is a wonderful way people can easily make a vital difference in their communities.”
The HATCH pilot program, which involves 65 Central Indiana Kroger stores, is a community partnership involving The Kroger Co., Rose Acre Farms, Elanco, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Midwest Food Bank. HATCHforHunger.com features a list of participating stores and more information about HATCH.
So far, 63,000 eggs--the equivalent of 5,250 dozen--have been donated through Gleaners and Midwest Food Bank to local food pantries. In addition, more than 600 people have participated in the conversation about fighting hunger at the community level by including #HATCHforHunger in their tweets and social-media posts.
“For many families who visit a food pantry, eggs are very rare to find and one of the items we have the most requests for,” said Marcus Casteel, director of the Grace Care Center. “Since one egg can provide all the iron and almost half the protein a young child needs each day, eggs are an excellent way to improve nutrition. That’s why HATCH has been such a blessing to our friends.”
Elanco, Kroger and Rose Acre Farms launched HATCH as a model to give people a way to help fight hunger in their communities. In the U.S. alone, one in five people do not have access to enough protein and other nutrients to meet their body’s needs. Elanco plans to build on this HATCH pilot program to develop similar initiatives that can bring food security to other locations in the U.S. and additional countries.

UK egg consumption up slightly in 2014

The total number of eggs consumed in the U.K. in 2014 is estimated to have risen by 2 percent to stand at 11.76 billion, equivalent to per capita annual consumption of 184, reports the British Egg Industry Council.
Egg consumption in the U.K. declined from the 1960s through to the late 1990s, however since then it has been steadily rising. Among recent growth drivers has been the rising popularity of eggs among dieters, and with the end of confusion over the effect of eggs on cholesterol, eggs are now widely recommend in the U.K. as  part of a healthy diet and have been included in a number of established slimming plans.
The British Egg Industry Council says that industry estimates reveal that the country produced 9.76 billion eggs in 2014, exported 134 million, and imported 1.86 billion.
Fifty-three percent of eggs were sold to retail outlets, with 24 percent going to foodservice and 23 percent to food manufacturers.
By production type, 52 percent of came from hens kept in enriched cages, 45 percent came from free-range hens, while 3 percent of eggs came from hens kept in barns.
A figure for size of the country’s laying flock in 2014 is yet to be made available, however, in 2013, the U.K. laying flock stood at 33.5 million birds. 

Dietary guidelines: Eggs are fine, but limit meat consumption

• 

  Freeimages.com/alaev

  The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has submitted its recommendations to the USDA and HHS secretaries.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has submitted its recommendations to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in order to inform the 2015 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  The dietary guidelines back away from earlier guidelines that suggest avoiding foods high in cholesterol like eggs, while also recommending that Americans continue to limit the amount of meat consumed in meals.
  Committee says no need to avoid eggs
  The panel of nutrition and public health experts has recommended the withdrawal of a long-standing recommendation that Americans should avoid foods that are high in cholesterol -- advice that has put eggs off-limits for heart-healthy consumers for decades. The panel cited mounting research that consumption of cholesterol-rich foods, such as eggs, has little bearing on overall levels of cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream. Cholesterol from the diet represents only about 20 percent of the cholesterol circulating in the human bloodstream, and thus lowering cholesterol intake will affect blood cholesterol levels only marginally.
  Guidelines call for less meat in diet
  The committee also recommended that people continue a dietary shift from meat-heavy meals to more plant-based foods, defining a healthy diet as one that is “lower in red and processed meats; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and drinks and refined grains.”
  However, the report does not call for the end of meat in U.S. diets, adding, “that no food groups need to be eliminated completely to improve sustainability outcomes over the current status
  Public input on dietary guidelines sought
  Vilsack and Burwell have released the advisory committee's recommendations report online, making it available for public review and comment. The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) will consider this report, along with input from other federal agencies and comments from the public as they develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, to be released later in 2015.
  "For decades, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been at the core of our efforts to promote the health and well-being of American families," said Secretaries Burwell and Vilsack in a joint statement. "Now that the advisory committee has completed its recommendations, HHS and USDA will review this advisory report, along with comments from the public-including other experts-and input from other federal agencies as we begin the process of updating the guidelines."
  The public is encouraged to view the independent advisory group's report and provide written comments at www.DietaryGuidelines.gov for a period of 45 days after publication in the Federal Register. The public will also have an opportunity to offer oral comments at a public meeting in Bethesda, Maryland, on March 24, 2015. Those interested in providing oral comments at the March 24, 2015, public meeting can register on the same website. Capacity is limited, so participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
  About the dietary guidelines and advisory committee
  The 14 outside experts who made up the committee are nationally recognized in the fields of nutrition, medicine and public health. The committee held seven public meetings over the past two years. The recommendations of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee are non-binding and advisory to HHS and USDA as they draft the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015.
  The HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has the administrative lead for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, which it carries out in close partnership with the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion and with support from USDA's Agricultural Research Service.
  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans was first published in 1980. Beginning in 1990, Congress mandated that HHS and USDA release a new edition at least every five years. The Dietary Guidelines contain the latest, science-based nutrition recommendations for the general public with the goal of preventing disease and promoting healthy, active lifestyles. It is written for and used primarily by nutrition and health professionals, policy makers and educators, and is the foundation for federal nutrition efforts, including education initiatives and food assistance programs.

Major UK retailer launches boxes of double-yolk eggs

Differentiation in the U.K. egg market continues apace, with retailer Marks and Spencer now selling boxes of six free-range double-yolk eggs.
Six medium free range own brand eggs sell at the U.K.’s largest retailer Tesco for GBP1 (US$1.54), however, the double-yolked Marks and Spencer offering will retail at GBP2.75 per box.
They are part of a new range which includes Araucona Blue and Maran Island brown eggs, and have grabbed multiple column inches in the U.K. press since being launched.
According to the British Egg Industry Council, double yolks occur only in 0.1 percent of eggs. The retailer is guaranteeing, via candling, that all eggs will have double yolks.
Marks and Spencer product developer Ali Rodham, commented: “We’re really excited to be selling the double-yolkers. We think they’re cracking and we’re sure our customers will too. Perfect for people who think the yolk is the best bit of the egg.”

US per capita egg consumption up for fifth straight year

Consumer demand for eggs continued its impressive growth in 2014, with per capita egg consumption growing in the United States for the fifth consecutive year.
In a report to the International Egg Commission, Joanne Ivy, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, wrote: “USDA reports that per capita egg consumption grew to 260.7 in 2014, which is the highest in 30 years, and marks the fifth consecutive year that egg consumption has increased.
“According to Nielsen, retail egg category sales grew an incredible 11 percent or $550 million in 2014 to $5.5 billion. Unit volume sales (equivalized dozens) was up 2 percent, growing by 54 million dozens vs. 2013. The average price for a dozen eggs averaged $2.11 in 2014, up 17 cents from the previous year. Despite the higher retail prices, which typically dampen consumer demand, unit volume increased. In fact, the growth rate for egg sales in both dollars and units were double that of 2013.
“The American Egg Board (AEB) has an extraordinary team and their work has had a huge effect on increasing egg and egg product consumption and demand. The Egg Product and Consumer Marketing teams, along with the strong program of the Egg Nutrition Center, have made major gains with the egg producers' investment into AEB. All of AEB's programs are recognized for being exceptional generating incredible results.
“AEB's award-winning marketing efforts, including our ‘Wake up to Eggs’ advertising, public relations, social media and retail promotional efforts, also played an important role in this success.”

Reassurance given to vulnerable groups on egg consumption in UK

UK health experts are telling women not to avoid eggs when pregnant, nor to delay giving them to their babies.
The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) says that emerging research suggests that eating eggs in pregnancy and weaning is more likely to reduce the risk of the baby developing an egg allergy.
UK government food safety experts have also announced a review of evidence relating to the safety of eggs in the UK and the BEIC says that the safety record of eggs produced in accordance with the quality scheme British Lion means that vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and babies should now be allowed to consume them when runny.
A review paper published in the Journal of Health Visiting concludes that historic concerns about allergy and food safety may have resulted in unnecessary avoidance of eggs by these groups. A new analysis of nationally representative infant feeding data shows that only 9 percent of babies are currently given eggs at six months, the recommended age to start weaning. Even at 12 months, only 36 percent at given eggs, with the allergy concerns given as the main reason for avoiding eggs.
Dr. Juliet Grey, co-author of the paper said: “Our review concluded that mums and their babies can be encouraged to eat eggs, as this could have a positive effect in terms of nutritional intake and may also help immune tolerance of eggs.
“The BEIC advice that vulnerable groups can go back to runny eggs, if produced under the Lion scheme, should further reassure women that they can enjoy them normally in pregnancy and give them to their babies when weaning from six months.”
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not advise pregnant women and babies to avoid eggs to reduce the risk of developing allergy, but it does continue to advise all vulnerable groups to make sure that eggs are thoroughly cooked. However, the FSA recognizes the significant progress the UK egg industry has made towards eliminating Salmonella from British Lion eggs and it will be seeking a view from its Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food on the evidence relating to the safety of eggs consumed in the UK early next year. 

No egg shortage, price hike expected in Armenia, union leader says

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  Increases in egg prices and decreases in egg supply are not expected in Armenia, says the head of the Union of Poultry Raisers.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Armenia will not experience any egg shortages or changes in prices for eggs, said Sergey Stepanyan, head of the Union of Poultry Raisers.
  Stepanyan addressed those concerns during a November 5 press conference as consumers had noticed a jump in egg prices. However, Stepanyan said the price increase seen in stores is because the weights and diameters of eggs were larger in October and the actual product price had not truly increased.
  Information from ArmStat showed that egg prices actually dropped 3.9 percent year-over-year in October, but increased 6.4 percent when compared to prices in September.
  The matter of an apparent shortage of eggs in Armenian stores was also addressed at the press conference. Stepanyan said consumers shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the country’s egg production, based simply off of the supply in stores.
  “If there are no eggs in one or two shops out of 10, it doesn’t mean there is a deficit on the country level,” Stepanyan said, indicating that there could be other factors such as technical problems at certain stores.
  According to Armenia’s ministry of agriculture, 543 million eggs were produced in the country during the first nine months of 2014, which is a 3 percent increase when compared to the same period of 2013. The ministry further projects that the country’s egg production will reach between 630 and 640 eggs in 2014, which would be as much as a five-percent year-over-year increase.

US egg consumption rising because of health benefits

Joanne Ivy, president, American Egg Board, said, “We are in the beginning stage of one of the most positive long term growth eras for eggs that we have seen in decades.” 
U.S. per capita egg consumption averaged 374 eggs in the 1950s, but dropped to an average of 236 eggs in the 1990s. The primary culprit for this reduction in per capita egg consumption is believed to have been concern for the impact dietary cholesterol levels might have on serum cholesterol levels and the incidence of heart disease. Today, decades of research have shown that many other factors play a bigger role in determining serum cholesterol levels than does dietary cholesterol, and egg consumption has rebounded somewhat, and that bounce may be getting bigger.
Joanne Ivy, president, American Egg Board, said, “We are in the beginning stage of one of the most positive long term growth eras for eggs that we have seen in decades.” She told the audience at the joint United Egg Producers and American Egg Board area meeting in Atlanta, “The primary reason for this is we are seeing a shift in how we eat in our country. Perhaps the most important part of this for eggs is the huge sustained growth and interest in protein.”
The interest in protein is fueled by research which has shown that eating protein-rich foods can provide a feeling of satiety and reduce total calorie consumption compared to eating high-carbohydrate foods. Dr. Mitch Kanter, executive director, Egg Nutrition Center, said, “Carbohydrates are taking a beating in the scientific literature.” He said that the current trend for more protein in diets has staying power; it is different from the Atkins diet fads of the past, because it is based on science and has research to back it up, and much of the Atkins diet hoopla was anecdotal. In short, the current move towards eating more protein-rich foods as a way to control weight and prevent obesity and diabetes is more about balanced healthy eating and doesn’t have the extreme exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet like Atkins.
Ivy said, “Orange is not the new black, protein is the new black. Protein has driven egg sales in the last three years and we see this continuing for the next five to ten years. We see this long-term; this is not a fad or trend.”
There is data to back up Ivy’s claims regarding egg sales. Urner Barry said that the average egg price in July of this year was the highest average price for July ever, and there was an ample supply of eggs on the market in July. Also, the USDA has forecast per capita egg consumption in the U.S. is 259 eggs in 2014, up 8 eggs from last year. Eggs are the only major animal protein to see an increase in per capita consumption since 2011, milk and beef have both seen declines while chicken and pork are at the same levels as 2011.

EFSA: Extending egg storage times increases Salmonella risk

Extending the storage time of eggs at home or at retail would increase Salmonella food poisoning risks, says the latest European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) scientific report on public health risks from eggs.
The advice comes in response to a request from the European Commission to help inform any future developments on date marking for eggs.
EFSA’s experts looked at the consequences of extending the sell-by date and best-before date for eggs eaten on their own or as ingredients in food. The sell-by date is the last date shops are supposed to display eggs for sale; the best before date is the period in which the eggs maintain their best quality, for example their texture and flavor.
If the sell-by date for household consumption is extended from 21 to 28 days, the risk of infections increases by 40 percent for uncooked eggs and by 50 percent for slightly cooked eggs. In the worst case scenario, where the sell-by date is 42 days and the best before date is 70 days, the risk is about three times higher than currently for uncooked and slightly cooked eggs.
Keeping eggs refrigerated is the only way to reduce the increased risk of infections due to extended storage. However, if the the sell-by date and best-before date were extended for more than three weeks, the risk increases – even with refrigeration in shops.

Cal-Maine Foods net income surges in FY 2014, 4Q 2014

Cal-Maine Foods achieved a net income of $31.5 million for the fourth quarter fiscal year 2014, a substantial improvement over the net loss of $3.8 million recorded during the fourth quarter of FY 2013. The largest egg producer in the United States also reported a large jump in net income for FY 2014, reaching $109.2 million, up from FY 2013’s net income of $50.4 million.
The fourth quarter and fiscal year ended May 31.
A significant reason for the surge in net income for both periods was that during the fourth quarter of 2013, Cal-Maine Foods incurred $17 million in expenses related to the settlement of antitrust litigation.
Cal-Maine net sales for FY 2014, 4Q 2014
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, Cal-Maine Foods’ net sales were $371.6 million compared with net sales of $325.9 million for the fourth quarter a year ago.
For the fiscal year 2014, net sales were $1,440.9 million, compared with net sales of $1,288.1 million for fiscal 2013.
Commenting in a press release on the results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2014, Dolph Baker, chairman, president and CEO of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., said, “We are pleased with our financial and operating performance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 with sales up 14.0 percent over the same period a year ago. These results reflect both higher volumes and higher average selling prices compared with the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. Total dozens produced increased 8.1 percent, total dozens sold increased by 2.5 percent, and our average selling price per dozen was up 12.0 percent over the same period last year.”
“Our operations continued to run well in fiscal 2014. We were able to benefit from lower and less volatile feed costs compared with the previous year. For fiscal 2014, our average feed costs were 49.3 centsper dozen, down 8.7 percent from fiscal 2013. Throughout our operations, our management team continued to execute on all the fundamental aspects of making Cal-Maine Foods an efficient, low-cost producer. We were pleased to report operating income of $146.1 million for fiscal 2014 compared with $59.6 million for fiscal 2013. Our expansion projects for our operations in Florida, Texas and Kentucky are on schedule, and we expect to benefit from the additional capacity and improved efficiencies in fiscal 2015 with less dependence on outside egg purchases.”
Cal-Maine achieves sales records in dollars, volume
Baker stated that for FY 2014, Cal-Maine Foods exceeded its previous year’s sales record with $1.4 billion in sales in fiscal 2014. The company also achieved the milestone of selling more than one billion dozen fresh eggs during FY 2014, a record for both the company and the global egg industry.
“These results reflect strong demand for shell eggs throughout the year from all the major market segments including retail, egg product and exports,” Baker said.
Specialty egg sales climbing
Baker reported that specialty eggs accounted for 17.2 percent of Cal-Maine’s total number of shell eggs sold and 24.3 percent of the company’s shell egg sales revenue for FY 2014.
Cal-Maine’s new venture with Hickman’s Egg Ranch, announced just prior to the release of the company’s quarterly and annual financial results, will help further Cal-Maine’s market position with specialty eggs, Baker said. The venture will be known as Southwest Specialty Eggs LLC.
 “Specialty egg sales have been an important area of strategic focus for Cal-Maine Foods. Our latest joint venture, Southwest Specialty Eggs LLC, will further expand our market reach in specialty egg sales in the southwestern United States. We expect specialty eggs, which have a higher retail selling price, will continue to gain market share over regular eggs as more consumers are willing to pay for these premium products. Overall, our average selling prices were up 4.7 percent in fiscal 2014, reflecting a higher percentage of specialty egg sales,” Baker said.

Cal-Maine Foods sells 1 billion dozen eggs in FY 2014

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. reached annual sales of more than one billion dozen eggs for fiscal 2014 with an expected total of 1.014 billion dozen fresh eggs sold. This significant milestone marks a new record year of sales for Cal-Maine Foods and the first time any domestic or world egg supplier has surpassed annual sales of over one billion dozen eggs.
 “We are very excited to achieve this important milestone for Cal-Maine Foods,” said Dolph Baker, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods. “Our sales for the year reflect strong organic growth as well as the additional volumes related to recent acquisitions. We have continued to benefit from favorable consumer demand for eggs throughout fiscal 2014. Industry studies show that eggs are found in nearly every household as consumers enjoy eggs' versatility and the variety of dishes that include eggs. Furthermore, 85 percent of today’s egg consumers view eggs as a healthy part of their diet. We strive to meet this demand by offering a full complement of conventional, cage-free, organic and nutritionally enhanced eggs. We are proud of our record of growth and equally proud of our team of employees who have worked so hard to achieve this milestone for Cal-Maine Foods.”
The company will report financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and 2014 fiscal year ending May 31, on July 28.