Shaping the egg era: Paving a path for the thriving future for eggs
Poultry Times
Providers of up-to-date industry news and information for the U.S. poultry industry.
CHICAGO — A new year means new opportunities, and it’s a good opportunity to both take stock and look ahead. 2024 was a challenging year for America’s egg industry, but easy isn’t a word that relates to farmers in any aspect. Farmers are no strangers to adversity, and they’ve repeatedly risen to the challenge.
At the American Egg Board, we’ve been proud to support America’s egg farmers, and as we move into 2025, we’re excited about the future we’re continuing to build together. Despite ongoing adverse circumstances, our focus at AEB is to sustain this momentum.
Eggs are officially “healthy” — a landmark recognition from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late 2024 that affirmed what we’ve known for decades. This announcement capped a year of remarkable achievements, including 20 consecutive months of year-over-year growth in egg sales. As consumer demand continues to rise, it’s clear we’re in the midst of an “egg era,” with eggs firmly established as a cornerstone of a nutritious diet.
The past year’s success is not just a short-term win. We will help maintain that momentum through a long-term vision that leverages innovation, world-class consumer engagement, and communications programming. We will continue to nurture and expand America’s love of eggs and, by continuing that momentum, support our farmers.
The extraordinary momentum we’re seeing in egg consumption is no accident. Eggs are enjoying extra momentum and are on a roll. With an unprecedented 20 consecutive months of volume sales growth, eggs are experiencing what can only be described as a golden era.
Eggs are more than just a meal component — they’re an increasingly important indispensable part of daily life, celebrated for their versatility and unmatched nutritional value. From quick summer meals to comforting fall recipes, eggs have secured their place in households across America. They’re evolving from just a breakfast staple to a fundamental ingredient for busy families, athletes, and anyone seeking a convenient and nutritious food choice.
While this success is impressive, our work is just beginning. High popularity isn’t a reason to sit back — it’s a call to action. AEB’s role is to ensure that we build on this demand and extend our reach, always looking for new ways to demonstrate how eggs meet evolving consumer needs. Our job is not just to promote eggs but to position them as an indispensable part of consumer’s daily lives, from nutrition to convenience to sustainability. This is where AEB steps in to identify new opportunities to connect eggs as the ultimate choice for modern consumers.
AEB constantly looks for new avenues to grow America’s love of eggs and egg products.? America’s farmers are already producing the world’s perfect protein, and our job is to nurture and grow America’s love affair with eggs.
When the FDA announced its updated ruling on foods deemed “healthy,” including eggs, it was a pivotal moment for the egg industry and the recognition of eggs as nutrient-rich, versatile foods. This means egg farmers will be able to unequivocally state “eggs are healthy” on pack and in their marketing and promotional materials, and it also resets the egg’s health and nutrition narrative.
Members of the AEB team supported the ruling that eggs are healthy by providing credible, scientific information during the FDA’s public comment period on the proposed rule. This milestone closes the chapter on years of debate about eggs’ nutritional value and positions them as a powerhouse food that supports heart, brain, and muscle health. With this new designation, egg producers are poised to reset the narrative, driving consumer awareness and confidence while reinforcing eggs’ role in healthy lifestyles.
The heart of AEB’s strategy is the “Meant to be Broken” campaign. This powerful message reflects our commitment to innovation, breaking through boundaries, and setting new standards across the egg industry. This campaign is not just a tagline but a call for transformation, one that is deeply embedded in AEB’s broader vision for a stronger and more resilient future.
Through extensive research, we identified a strategic key growth segment that we believe is key to long-term prosperity for America’s egg farmers, focusing on younger Millennial and Gen Z consumers—two key groups whose egg-buying habits have lagged previous generations with high potential to grow. These groups are often drawn to foods that align with their values, such as convenience, sustainability, and personal nutrition.
“Meant to be Broken” was created to address these shifts by reinvigorating excitement around eggs and showcasing their versatility in new, meaningful ways.? In its first six months, this campaign has already proven incredibly effective and successful.? Meant to Be Broken is shattering expectations with innovative strategies and record-breaking results, including launching the first-ever gaming activation for a commodity board.
The campaign targets a diverse range of young consumers, from college students to young professionals and parents. The demand for food in this demographic is no longer confined to traditional mealtimes. With busy schedules that don’t follow a 9-to-5 routine, these consumers seek functional, enjoyable, and personal foods. “Meant to be Broken” highlights how eggs fit perfectly into their modern lifestyles — whether used in a quick breakfast, a high-protein workout snack, or even as part of a family meal.
We are pushing the boundaries of how eggs are perceived. This campaign isn’t just about promoting eggs as a nutritious food; it’s about presenting them as a modern, essential part of today’s active, health-conscious lifestyles. Eggs are no longer just for breakfast — they’re for every meal, any time of the day.
We’re on a mission to help consumers rediscover the kitchen superhero that is the egg. In 2025, we’re taking Meant to be Broken to the next level — we’re going even bigger, bolder, and more unexpected. Meant to be Broken 2.0 will be all about showing up in unexpected places and tapping into emerging platforms to keep eggs at the top of one’s mind. We’ll share bold recipes and clever hacks that resonate with our consumers, inspiring them to see eggs as the ultimate blank canvas for endless culinary possibilities.
Innovation is vital to maintaining momentum, and AEB is essential in supporting our channel customers across food service, retail, and food manufacturing. Through partnerships, insights, and marketing support, AEB helps ensure that eggs remain a top choice for consumers and a critical part of our partners’ business strategies.
The Eggcelerator Lab? is central to AEB’s innovation efforts, offering a collaborative space where groundbreaking egg-based products and technologies are developed. Through a vast network of expertise and resources, the Eggcelerator Lab delivers creative solutions that expand the possibilities for eggs, putting more eggs in front of more consumers in exciting new ways. This focus on innovation doesn’t just create new products — it opens up new opportunities for businesses to meet consumer demand with fresh, relevant offerings.
领英推荐
The Eggcelerator Lab patented a kitchen device, Project Gizmo, designed for food service operators with limited space to make perfect fried or sunny-side-up eggs in a microwave. This innovation helps quick-service restaurants and convenience stores expand egg offerings across meals, potentially driving 150–200 million additional eggs used annually. Partner licensing agreements will further support America’s egg farmers by funding continued innovation and industry growth.
AEB’s Food Chain Outreach program made significant progress in 2024, fostering collaborations across the food chain to strengthen the egg industry’s position. Key initiatives included at-shelf research, support for cage-free transitions, educational modules for industry newcomers, egg functionality training, nutrition programs with dietitians, and digital campaigns to engage younger consumers and boost consumption.
Looking ahead to 2025, AEB will build on this momentum by deepening partnerships and focusing on shopper marketing and consumer education, ensuring eggs remain top of mind and driving sustained market demand.
At AEB, we do more than just marketing to ensure consumers buy eggs. We are empowering egg farmers to take back the narrative surrounding their work and their industry. For too long, the conversation around eggs has been shaped by outside voices that don’t reflect the industry’s commitment to sustainability, quality, and consumer health.
We’re changing that by creating the egg industry’s first-ever strategic, industry-level narrative — a clear, unified message about who we are, what we do, why we do it, and how we do it.
A significant component of this effort is a new, comprehensive website designed to address every question consumers or the media might have about eggs and egg production. This site is built on extensive research and is intended to be transparent, educational, and trust-building. By dispelling misinformation and presenting eggs in their true light, we aim to reinforce consumer confidence and encourage ongoing egg consumption. The first step was getting the story in place; now, we are activating against it.
This year, we are launching a consumer education campaign, “You Have Options,” that will complement this effort by educating consumers about the diversity of eggs available to meet various needs. The campaign will also provide a transparent approach to teaching about modern egg production practices, emphasizing the sustainability and quality that egg farmers bring to the table. This initiative is about more than just selling eggs — it’s about celebrating the essential contributions of farmers and demonstrating their dedication to producing healthy, sustainable food for a growing population.
AEB’s commitment to credible science and cutting-edge research is a critical part of our strategy for securing long-term success. By investing in high-quality research, we are unlocking new possibilities and positioning eggs as an essential part of the modern diet. Eggs offer unmatched nutritional benefits, and by continuing to invest in science, we ensure that they remain indispensable for meeting today’s health and wellness needs.
Through the Egg Nutrition Center, we’ve led groundbreaking research on eggs’ nutritional benefits, including the importance of choline for brain health and fetal development. As one of the most concentrated natural food sources of choline, eggs are now recognized as a potential food source to support cognition and brain health across all life cycle stages.
Research has shown that consumers exposed to our educational materials significantly increase their perceptions. This tells us the message has been received and changed perceptions.
Eggs have many nutritional benefits, and we have invested in finding a way to tell the egg’s nutrition story. This led us to focus on launching a nutrition story that will resonate with and influence consumers. We have aligned around that story, Peak Performance, a multi-faceted narrative around nutrition that we will be deploying next year.
?
A positive outlook for the future??
The outlook for America’s egg industry is more promising than ever. With a proactive, forward-thinking approach, AEB positions eggs as a versatile, nutritious, and sustainable food choice. Through campaigns like “Meant to be Broken,” strong partnerships with industry leaders, and a commitment to empowering our farmers, we meet today’s demand while building a solid foundation for long-term growth.
In addition, we are driving demand for eggs and egg products to ensure that we support America’s egg farmers. I’m excited to announce that we are expanding our efforts in entirely new directions, starting with creating a farmer support center. This will provide a variety of resources and support for farmers.
Looking ahead, we remain as committed as ever to supporting America’s egg farmers and ensuring their continued success. By embracing change, seizing opportunities, and breaking through barriers, we’re setting the stage for a new era of growth and prosperity for the egg industry. With the momentum we’ve built and the plans in place, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.
Together, we’re taking the egg industry to new heights — one egg, one consumer, and one breakthrough at a time.
?
Emily Metz is president and CEO of the American Egg Board headquartered in Chicago, Ill. For more information, visit www.aeb.org.