The US bird flu outbreak has pushed egg prices to record highs, with wholesale prices reaching $8 a dozen. Retail prices are also expected to rise, potentially surpassing their 2023 records. In contrast, chicken meat prices have not risen as dramatically.
According to data from Expana, the average wholesale price for large, white shell eggs reached $8 per dozen in January, beating the previous record of $5.46 per dozen in late December 2022. This increase is attributed to the highly infectious and lethal bird flu virus that has killed millions of chickens at commercial egg farms.
The disease has reduced egg supply by about 15% to 16%, with over 40 million egg-laying chickens dying in 2024, according to Amy Smith, vice president of Advanced Economic Solutions. As a result, inventories of shell eggs are below the five-year average.
Economists expect that retail prices may not mirror wholesale price increases immediately due to differences in pricing strategies among grocers. Large national retailers like Walmart and Aldi may be able to absorb higher costs through stronger margins on other products or fixed-price contracts for their egg supply.
However, smaller, independent retailers are more likely to adjust prices quickly in response to wholesale changes. The impact of bird flu on chicken meat prices has been less significant, with most broilers still available despite disease complications limiting availability.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/10/wholesale-egg-prices-have-blown-way-past-prior-record.html