Are All Your Eggs in One Basket?

‘Truth and eggs are useful only while they are fresh.’ Austin O'Malley

Would your supply chain crumble without eggs? Clever R&D can help develop new recipes that rely on fewer eggs, or no eggs at all.

From when cavemen watched animals consume them, we have eaten eggs. Through the centuries, we have included eggs in thousands of recipes, making them a staple in our diet, and it’s a big industry. 2024 saw the UK producing 11.9 billion eggs, but in the last couple of months, the price of eggs has risen by 20%. That’s not just in the UK, but all over the world. In the US, a dozen eggs can now cost up to $9! The high prices coupled with the shortage have led to smuggling. In March 2025, the European Commission reported unchecked egg smuggling from Mexico into the US.

For manufacturers who use eggs extensively within recipes, it’s going to eat into revenues, affect quality, and could even halt production on top selling products all together.

Why are we in crisis?

It’s not just one reason that has eggs teetering towards the endangered list. There are a few world events swirling together to create the perfect storm of scarcity.

Avian flu

More than 280 million birds have died in the UK alone since October 2021, and that’s just the ones we know about. Many wild bird species are not being monitored so that number could be higher. As a virus, death rates can reach 90-100% within 2 days of infection amongst an unvaccinated flock. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, runny eyes, a swollen head, and death, along with misshapen soft-shell eggs; it can prove difficult to detect in chicken flocks quickly enough to stop contagion, making this a devastating pandemic amongst egg-laying hens.

Wild birds can be carriers, so start of 2025, strict regulations were put in place in the UK to keep hens inside. It’s particularly hard to keep chickens safe, as non-caged free-range hens are encouraged to roam, and can easily come into contact with wild infected birds, bringing the virus back to the barn where it spreads throughout the flock.

The UK cage-free pledge

In 2012, the UK banned egg-producing hens from being kept in cages, except for enriched cages, which give hens the potential to roost, scratch, nest, and stretch. Almost 10 years ago, supermarkets in the UK pledged to exclusively sell non-caged hen eggs by the end of 2025. Some are there already, others are lagging behind, and one has come out and dropped the commitment. Supply and demand dictate business practices, and caged hens can produce more eggs for less money, leading them to be sold at more competitive prices. And with the last couple of years seeing the cost of living skyrocketing, consumers are looking to save on food staples, whether that be eggs themselves or products containing eggs.

It’s natural to want to give animals the best quality of life possible, but everything comes with a price, and if the pledge in the UK is to be honored by all sellers, the amount of eggs we will see hitting the market will naturally be less than we’ve previously been used to.

Secure your supply chain by pivoting

Eggless products are not new – between allergies and vegan menus, many retail outlets offer them. However, these recipes take time to perfect.

Alternatively, there are other, cheaper and more readily available ingredients that can replace eggs. Baking powder, combined with other products such as oil and vinegar, can offer similar benefits as eggs within a recipe. With sweet treats, fruits such as apples and bananas can work wonders. Certain seeds mixed with water, and even yogurt, can be a great substitute; however, adapting recipes takes time and the right equipment to ensure that the end product matches consumer tastes and still offers quality you’ll be proud of.

Using fewer eggs will help the bottom line. So, developing new recipes for old products can revamp your production line and product offerings to suppliers and consumers.

Diversifying supply chains to reduce dependence on limited producers can also serve to protect fragile egg supplies. Investigating smaller suppliers, and importing could make up the shortfall; however, quality and timings would need to be right. Adding new steps to a manufacturing schedule can be costly if not organized correctly.

At KPM Analytics, we are proud disruptors within the food manufacturing industry. Offering technologies from AI to analytical solutions not only protects your production but also saves you money on your bottom line. The Mixolab series has long been used in the baking industry to test the attributes of flour and dough, however our newest model has the ability to map out the presence of eggs within a recipe, helping you either swap out this ingredient or lower the amount included and test whether the overall new recipe will be a success. Analyzing dough and flour saves time and increases accuracy, leaving you no doubt whether your goods will rise to meet consumer and customer expectations.

The Mixolab Series also:

• Verifies the conformity of delivered flours and their performance.
• Tests dough samples at-line to validate flour quality and process performance (Mixolab 300 only).
• Identifies potential production issues in advance.
• Studies the rheological behavior of fiber-rich flours and whole-wheat formulas.
• Facilitates the elaboration of gluten-free products.
• Assesses the impact of various additives and ingredients (salt, sugar, fat, etc.).

In any industry, knowledge is power, and KPM Analytics’ Mixolab series gives you insight into your production line. This allows you to avoid costly mistakes and create new recipes that can safeguard and increase revenues.

Conclusion

The hard truth is that being heavily reliant on any one ingredient is dangerous to a supply chain. It’s one of the biggest risks a business can take. Developing new recipes that require less eggs, or egg replacements, is paramount to maintaining shelf space and revenues.