SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Every morning scores of eggs are scrambled, fried, poached and folded into hearty omelets at The Egg and I on Route 1.
Served with a heaping of hash, atop biscuits or tucked into a burrito, eggs are the star of the show. But in the last few months, this breakfast staple has come under assault as the poultry industry reels from a deadly avian flu, killing 47 million chickens and turkeys across the country. To meet demand for the drop in egg production, “prices are going to increase in the next three weeks,” Kevin McMurtrie, general manager of the Scarborough restaurant, said.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza, largely affecting chickens in the Midwest, is the culprit for soaring egg prices. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued data showing egg prices reaching record highs.
The forecast for the price of Grade A large eggs in New York this year ranged from $1.60 to $1.66 per dozen. That’s a sharp increase from its May estimate of $1.30 to $1.36 and well above last year’s average price of about $1.42, according to USDA data.
“Eggs have been a really inexpensive source of quality protein for a long time,” Anne Lichtenwalner, associate professor of animal and veterinary science at the University of Maine, said. “On average, eggs will cost more. We may see a temporary spike for a while, but it will equilibrate. I don’t think we will have the very inexpensive eggs in the future.”
Farm eggs, purchased from roadside stands or co-ops across the state of Maine that can fetch from $4 to $6 a dozen, suddenly may seem like a bargain.
“Over a several-year period, we will still see very expensive, high-end, small-farm eggs available,” said Lichtenwalner, who is tracking the disease that has not reached Maine.
As egg products go up in price and become more difficult to source, alternatives that restaurants such as The Egg and I feature on their menu under “smarter choices” are starting to disappear.
“Food distributors are discontinuing egg whites” said George Tully-Young, kitchen manager at The Egg and I, where five yolk-free dishes are offered daily. “They are using all available eggs for whole eggs.”
That means the Colorado-based franchise soon will have to pay more in labor cost to keep health-conscious customers happy.
“It’s crucial we stay ahead of the game,” said McMurtrie, who stocked up on egg whites when news of the disease broke. But to keep their 45-plus egg dishes replete all summer, the restaurant is taking matters into its own hands.
“In the next month and a half we are going to have to separate egg whites from yolks, and that means paying someone extra hours to do this,” McMurtrie said.
But with business increasing from 9.5 to 10 percent every year, this is a “critical process.”
“If someone comes in and we can’t offer them egg whites, they might not come back,” McMurtrie said.
Vegan egg substitutes, such as tofu, and products such Nayonaise have been popular for years.
Kate Yerxa, a registered dietitian with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, said the protein in eggs, while mighty, can be found elsewhere, and vegans have become skilled at eating this way.
“One egg has about 6 grams of protein. Many types of cooked lean meats have about 7 grams of protein per ounce, and cooked fish is about the same as cooked lean meats,” she said by email. “Another great source of protein are cooked dry beans, peas and lentils.”
But is this a cost savings?
“I think it is important to calculate the cost per ounce of protein, regardless of the source,” Yerxa said.
Before you stock up on eggs or brace yourself for wallet shock, hope is in sight. Avian flus, according to scientists studying the outbreak, don’t last forever.
“I think this will be pretty temporary. Mexico had this problem, and they bounced back from a massive hit,” Lichtenwalner, who also is the director of UMaine’s animal health laboratory, said. “They responded, and I think we will step up and resupply and end up with a good industry again.”
In the meantime, restaurants are doing what they can to balance their budgets and stay in the black.
“We are not wasting eggs because that is throwing money away,” Tully-Young said. “We have to make sure the whole crew is staying focused and paying attention.”
