With high egg prices in the US, plant-based options are starting to appear

Egg prices are still high in US supermarkets, and plant-based alternatives are trying to seize the moment to defend their position.

In some ways, it’s been a tough year for egg alternatives. US retail sales fell 3.4% per unit in the 12 months to Jan. 28 compared with a year earlier, according to NielsenIQ. In that period, sales of eggs per unit increased by 0.5%, despite a 54% jump in prices.

But in recent weeks, however, interest has increased. Brands like Just Egg and Zero Egg, which make egg alternatives, say they saw a boost in January. For them, the turmoil in the traditional egg market is the perfect opportunity to try to reach new potential customers and highlight the advantages of plant-based eggs.

“Plants don’t catch the flu”

After traditional egg prices hit record highs in December, Just Egg – made with mung beans and sold at national retailers – launched a marketing offensive.

Placed digital advertisements at more than 800 electric vehicle charging stations located outside supermarkets, proclaiming that “Just Egg has stock”, adding: “plants don’t catch the flu”, a reference to the deadly avian flu that affected the US egg supply . The brand also ran an ad in Sunday’s New York Times that conveyed a similar message.

Just having enough supply becomes a selling point and an advantage over egg producers.

“We remind consumers and customers […] we’re available,” Matt Riley, chief revenue officer at Eat Just, Just Egg’s parent company, told CNN . “Solving crises like this is one of the main reasons we exist.”

Interest in Just Egg has increased since Christmas, Riley said, noting that there have been “record” units sold per store each week at some major national retailers since the holiday. With Just Egg leaving shelves more quickly, some retailers are looking to increase their stocks, he adds.

“We increased our industrial production in the first three weeks of January and kept it at a higher level,” he said. In the year through Dec. 22, Just Egg grew 17% in volume, according to the company.

Industry data shows a similar trend in recent months: In the week to Jan. 28, unit sales of egg replacers increased 18% compared to the week ended Dec. 3 in US retailers, according to NielsenIQ.

In the last week of January, unit sales of egg alternatives grew 3.5% year-on-year. That week, regular egg sales were down 8.2% per unit, year over year. Individual shoppers aren’t the only ones exploring the alternatives. Restaurants have also embarked on this.

Restaurants give plant-based eggs a chance

Zero Egg, which sells an egg alternative made with chickpeas, potatoes, peas and soy, has recently received interest from restaurants looking for a more stable supply chain for eggs as an ingredient in items like salad dressing. Zero Egg is sold to restaurants but is not available in retail stores in the United States.

“In the second week of January we started to see an increase in orders,” said Graeham Henderson, director of sales for Zero Egg in the United States.

Restaurants that are not loyal to the brand have also started to take notice, he said. “We started getting some follow-ups and feedback from places where we had some initial testing, but there wasn’t necessarily a sense of prioritization for adding a plant-based egg,” he said.

Still, plant-based options aren’t for everyone. Lillian and Tim Lu, who own Noisette bakery and restaurant in Denver, have been struggling to get eggs. To help with the bottom line, they only buy gems for some items. But they’re not interested in plant-based eggs — the texture and flavor just don’t meet their needs, Tim Lu said.

Those still interested in chicken eggs can be pleased to hear that the egg market is stabilizing, at least wholesale.

“Wholesale prices have actually been trending downwards for the last six weeks,” said Karyn Rispoli, egg market reporter for Urner Barry, a provider of protein market data. She said those prices are down 52% compared to the all-time highs reached in December.

In the supermarket, egg prices remain high, Rispoli noted: “Supermarkets are not yet passing on these savings.”