Demand for eggs skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Demand picked up nearly 100% in the first days following the big spike in coronavirus,” says Sam Krouse, VP of Business Development for MPS Egg Farms, headquartered in North Manchester, IN. “We were in a fortunate position because the virus hit as we were in a ramp up to Easter, so our inventories were relatively high. We were able to absorb a lot of what the demand was in that early period.”
Krouse says the majority of their eggs are slated for grocery stores, so they were spared from having to deal with major supply chain shifts that some companies that sell primarily to restaurants had to endure.
The signs at grocery stores limiting egg purchases are now gone, so how is demand now?
“I think a lot of people found eggs to be a great, easy source of protein for them and their families as they were stuck inside together. So, demand stayed pretty strong, around 30% higher than normal, for about two months. So, now we’re about back to seasonal averages.”
Krouse says they’ve learned a lot in the past few months.
“And we’re thinking about how we can be ready should coronavirus spike again. What things can we do to have the right inventory, have the right flexibility in communication, so that we can get through whatever might happen next.”
Krouse believes egg consumption will remain high going forward.
“You know, it’s such a perfectly ‘on-trend’ food with respect to being a great complete nutrient, a complete protein, a whole food, no artificial ingredients obviously, that it just matches so many things that consumers are looking for, so it’s a win on all of those respects.”
MPS Egg Farms is the 8th largest egg producer in the United States.