While scrolling through my news feed this week, I had to do a double-take.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a theft that netted robbers nearly $40,000 worth of goods.
The goods: 100,000 eggs.
According to police, the eggs were lifted right from the back of a distribution truck sitting at Pete & Gerry’s Organics in Antrim Township.
Usually, you hear about TVs or smartphones being involved in this kind of heist, which is not a breakfast staple like eggs.
My first thought was wondering how they were going to fence the cargo. There isn’t an underworld marketplace for eggs (at least not one I’m aware of).
My next thought was, why eggs?
So I started digging around…
Egg Prices Highest Since 2022
At the end of 2024, egg prices were the highest they’ve been since 2022… and were showing no signs of slowing down.
Egg price averages haven’t been calculated for January 2025, but a trip to the grocery store tells me to expect prices to be even higher.
I went to my local grocery store in South Florida and saw that a dozen Grade A, generic-brand eggs were around $5.50 — more than the previous high average price from December 2022.
Just for comparison, I checked the price of the same dozen at the grocery store I went to as a kid in Wichita, Kansas … yes, it’s still around. Eggs were $1 cheaper in Kansas, but it’s also a comparatively lower cost of living area.
It’s not an exact science, but the bottom line is that eggs are expensive. We’re all feeling it at the grocery store.
In fact, I don’t think our hard-shell bandits stole 100,000 eggs in an effort to corner the black market.
It’s more likely they’ll keep the eggs for themselves and share with others because they aren’t interested in paying nearly $7 for a dozen eggs (the price of eggs at a grocery store near the scene of the crime).
What It All Means
These prices impact just about every American household.
Even Waffle House recently added a $0.50 surcharge on every egg it sells in its 1,900+ locations across 25 states.
I don’t see the price of eggs coming down anytime soon.
The latest spike in bird flu cases is causing farmers to kill thousands of their flock to avoid the spread.
Since demand isn’t likely to crash, the supply/demand equation is off, and prices will creep higher.
However, the seasonality of eggs does paint a compelling picture.
2022-2024: Egg Prices Come Down From Most Price Spikes
One thing to point out is that from 2022 to early 2023, prices went up to nearly $5 — again due to an outbreak of the bird flu.
However, prices immediately came down to just above $2 a dozen by July 2023.
So, yes, eggs are expensive, and they are expected to stay that way for the immediate future. This is a bullish signal for egg producers in the short term.
But that price will come down eventually.
On a side note, I am really impressed with myself for including no egg puns in this piece.
That’s all from me today. I hope you all have a great weekend.
Until next time…
Safe trading,
Matt Clark, CMSA®
Chief Research Analyst, Money & Markets