Egg farmers face supply chain issues, increased demand

With everyone facing higher food prices and difficult cost-saving decisions, many are looking for lower cost proteins –– including eggs.

Tracking new trends in the egg industry is how Braswell Family Farms in Nashville has stayed in business through four generations. As president, Trey Braswell now represents that fourth generation, with the same focus on their customers.

"We like to provide choice for the consumer," said Braswell.

Over the years, Braswell says, they have expanded their egg products to meet a variety of consumer demands. According to Braswell, those preferences include: "Conventional eggs through nutritionally enhanced eggs, cage free, organic, free range, pasture raised."

He says customers choose based on their values as well as their wallet. Over the past year Braswell has seen his own costs going up with no break in sight.

"Everything we do, labor, feed ingredients and packaging, everything has gone up in cost," said Braswell. "Eventually, you know, the farmer has to be able to stay in business."

He believes consumers will cut back on luxury goods before they cut back on what they eat. He says a new trend shows more egg buyers aren’t satisfied with just a dozen in one grocery trip.

"Consumers are buying 18 pack, 24 pack, 36 pack," he said.

Braswell says the biggest challenge for producers is with the pressure from activist groups on retailers to stop selling conventionally farmed eggs.

"Those people don’t speak for the 95% of people out there that need choice in the grocery store," said Braswell.

He also believes there could be an impact on egg supply over the next few years as producers try to plan for uncertain costs and changing consumer demands.