Eggs are $7.99 (if in stock…)
by Sonam Velani
Yes, this is a photo from the local grocery store. Chances are, it’s the same story in your neck of the woods.
There are a plethora of reasons why a dozen eggs are ringing in at $7.99 (if they are even in stock), from a highly potent strain of avian flu that has affected more than 57 million chickens, to 30% increase in the price of feed due to severe drought, to even accusations of collusion among suppliers. All in all, egg prices have increased 138% YoY according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Undoubtedly, some of these factors are due to climate change and its impacts on natural systems around us. But beyond that, what are the longer lasting implications for consumer behavior and what types of ‘eggs’ we might choose going forward?
I’m the first to admit my love of eggs, particularly buttery scrambled eggs my grandpa used to make me as a child. But as I’ve grown older and become more aware of the impact of climate change on our food systems writ large, I’ve begun to reevaluate my choices. A few years ago we switched to JUST Egg at our home - no, this is not a paid promotional piece, and we still use regular eggs for baking, the occasional sunny side up, and much else!
These plant-based eggs are made of mung bean and canola oil, with a dash of turmeric to give its yellow color and natural thickeners to make this concoction actually ‘feel’ like eggs. Mung bean is a drought resistant crop that can be produced through regenerative agriculture practices. When compared to chicken eggs, JUST Eggs use less water and land, and generate even fewer GHG emissions. As of last year, the company had sold the equivalent of 250 million eggs, saving 43.6 million kg of CO2, 9.1 billion gallons of water, and 13,446 acres of land. It even went to Congress to tout these stats.
JUST Egg’s clever ad truck outside of Congress in 2022. Source: VegOut Media
Back in the day when a dozen eggs were $1.99 instead of $7.99, plant-based eggs really couldn’t compete. But now it has far surpassed price parity, they are having their cake and eating it too. JUST Egg has become the second-fastest growing egg brand in the US since its launch in 2018. Andrew Noyes, the VP of global communications has said that the team has expanded distribution and increased shelf space in supermarkets to meet demand, clocking in at a 17% increase in sales over the course of 2022 with similarly strong figures in the new year.
Seems like all that extra revenue is going towards hiring some great ad agencies - I hope the trend continues ;)
by Sonam Velani