Colorado’s egg shortage drives up prices — but relief could be coming

Colorado shoppers who’ve shelled out more money on eggs in recent months may have something to get egg-cited about.

What’s happening: Pricey eggs are starting to retreat from December’s record highs, albeit slowly, Axios’ Kelly Tyko writes.

  • The nationwide cooldown comes after the price of a carton soared 49% in November, hitting an average of $3.59 a dozen, compared to a year earlier, according to the Consumer Price Index.
  • Apart from inflation and consumer demand, costs have also been driven up by the deadly avian influenza outbreak — the worst in U.S. history — which has killed more than 6 million birds in Colorado, including eight commercial flocks, per the USDA.

Driving the news: The egg shortage coincides with a new state law that requires locally-raised chickens be cage-free if their eggs are sold in grocery stores, which has also disrupted the supply chain.

  • Some grocery stores, including Whole Foods, are now limiting egg carton purchases to two per person.
  • The issue is also impacting Denver restaurants. Hoja, for example, announced this month it would no longer serve eggs in its breakfast burritos due in large part to rising prices.

Post courtesy of Axios.com

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