Even more eggs, even more producers

Among the foods that have kept their place on our plate, food inflation or not, eggs. For what ? Protein is still affordable, but the increase in consumption can also be explained by the arrival in Quebec of people whose food culture places great emphasis on eggs. The point, in four key pieces of information.

4%

This is the growth in one year of egg consumption in Quebec – and production, eggs being under supply management in Canada.

“Life has returned to normal,” says Paulin Bouchard, president of the Federation of Quebec Egg Producers, who refers to the COVID-19 years when the closure of restaurants affected the sale of eggs.

“Egg consumption is increasing; in-store sales too,” confirms Jean-Luc Turgeon, vice-president of sales and marketing at Burnbrae Farms.

The negative specter of the “cholesterol years” seems to have disappeared for good, explains Mr. Turgeon.

Part of the population wants to treat themselves to a diet rich in protein, athletes in particular, and eggs are still affordable. “The fact that the price of other animal proteins has increased significantly in recent years makes eggs a food with attractive value for money,” continues the Burnbrae Farms representative.

Immigration

“We don’t think about it, but immigration to Canada brings people for whom eggs are part of everyday life,” says Jean-Luc Turgeon.

“Per capita egg consumption in Canada is about 40% lower than in Mexico or Asia,” he says.

Paulin Bouchard, a producer himself, also notes that certain new Quebecers not only consume a lot of eggs, but that they also influence others. “It’s contagious when we see people eating eggs around us,” he says. Dishes have thus become integrated into the Quebec food repertoire over time.

Specialty eggs

Contrary to popular belief, specialty eggs are no less popular, despite food inflation.

“Surprisingly, they are still growing despite the economic gloom,” says Jean-Luc Turgeon, “in all product lines. Both organic ones, which are very expensive, and omega-3 eggs. »

One exception: brown eggs are less popular than white eggs of the same category.

Mr. Turgeon is well placed to talk about specialty eggs since Burnbrae offers 16 varieties of shell eggs, depending on whether consumers are more interested in nutritional benefits or animal welfare. Those who want everything at once will opt for products like Naturoeuf omega plus solar free range.

According to Paulin Bouchard, people will not go back. Someone who has adopted free-range eggs because they want to support this type of agriculture is not going to suddenly change their consumption philosophy. On the other hand, notes the farmer, they could change the type of eggs depending on the week’s discounts. Mr. Bouchard specifies, however, that consumers of organic eggs are very loyal.

The growth is particularly great for eggs intended for processing, because bakers, pastry chefs and other quiche makers who want to offer an organic product must inevitably use organic eggs.

The same goes for restaurants or chains that advertise that their breakfast sandwiches are made from free-range eggs. We can hardly go back there too.

Please note: at Burnbrae Farms, we admit that sales of liquid eggs, these eggs sold in cardboard cups like cream, are stable. The market is potentially mature. Or, in these times of budgetary pressure, consumers prefer to crack their own eggs.

200

There are now 200 poultry farms in the province. This is double what it was when Paulin Bouchard took over as president of the Federation of Quebec Egg Producers, 13 years ago.

According to him, the arrival of technology in henhouses has a lot to do with this renewed interest among young people in the profession.

“We have the impression that it has become valued again to be a poultry producer,” says Paulin Bouchard, whose farm is in Beauce.

“The next generation is so present,” he continues, “that I knew the names of all the producers by heart before, but now, that’s no longer the case! »

The farmer is delighted to see small businesses remaining, growing or appearing in Quebec regions.

“We have achieved a nice balance,” he says.