Egg

Eggs are produced by hens, often on large-scale industrial farms or free-range farms. On large farms, hens are housed in confined spaces and lay eggs that are collected, cleaned, and processed for sale. Free-range farms allow hens to roam freely, but both types of farms require significant resources like feed, energy, and labor.

After production, eggs are collected, inspected, and cleaned. They are then packaged and transported to distribution centers or directly to grocery stores. From there, consumers purchase them at local grocery stores. The supply chain includes farmers, distributors, transport companies, and retailers.

The power balance often favors large grocery chains and multinational corporations, as they can set the price and control terms of the supply agreement. Farmers may receive lower profit margins due to the pressure to keep costs low.

One way to improve the balance would be to provide more support to small and medium-sized farmers, ensuring they get fair pricing for their products. Encouraging ethical sourcing practices and offering consumers more information on how eggs are produced can also help.

• Karcher, D. M., & Mench, J. A. (2019). Overview of commercial egg production in the United States. Poultry Science, 98(7), 2459-2465. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez091

• Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J., & Sturgeon, T. (2005). The governance of global value chains. Review of International Political Economy, 12(1), 78-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290500049805