The recent bird flu outbreak in California has led to a severe egg shortage, causing prices to skyrocket and impacting local restaurants that heavily rely on eggs in their menu offerings. The shortage has forced grocery stores in the Bay Area to impose purchase limits on eggs, with prices reaching nearly $9 a dozen – a 70% increase from the previous year.
Restaurant owners, such as Cara Haltiwanger of Calabama in LA, are feeling the pressure as the cost of a case of eggs has surged from $20 to as much as $150. Haltiwanger, who opened Calabama just as the bird flu outbreak began, expressed the challenges of running an egg-based restaurant in such a crisis.
Similarly, Gemma Ballesteros, owner of Marley’s Treats in Hayward, California, shared her struggles with the egg shortage impacting her bakery. With rising minimum wage, pandemic-related challenges, and now exorbitant egg prices, Ballesteros finds it increasingly difficult to keep her business afloat.
The soaring egg prices have made it challenging for these restaurant owners to maintain their operations. Haltiwanger and Ballesteros have been forced to navigate between different suppliers to find the best egg prices, with cases costing between $100 and $150 at nearby Costcos.
Hoyul Steven Choi, who owns multiple California restaurants, including Sweet Maple and Kitchen Story, has also been hit hard by the egg shortage. He highlighted the unprecedented price hikes in eggs, with cases now selling for $139 compared to $20 to $40 in previous years.
The situation is dire for small local restaurants like Choi’s, as they have little bargaining power with suppliers. The national egg production is not expected to stabilize before mid-2025, and the egg-laying flock is projected to decrease to its lowest point since the 2022 bird flu crisis.
The future remains uncertain for restaurant owners as they struggle to cope with the ongoing egg shortage and its economic repercussions. The resilience and determination of these entrepreneurs will be put to the test as they navigate through these challenging times.
