Stonegate, an egg packer, is seeking new egg producers as rising demand is tightening supply in Britain’s free-range egg market.
Matthew Falk, head of category and commercial brands at Stonegate, said the share of free-range eggs in the retail market overall has increased from 70% to 83.4% in the past five years and the category shows no sign of slowing.
“Since 2022, the value of the free-range egg market has risen by more than 50%, and demand is now surpassing the peaks seen during the pandemic.”
Jim Turner, head of new producer recruitment at Stonegate said egg production fits naturally alongside many existing enterprises and said good returns made it an attractive option for both established poultry producers and those looking to diversify.
“We’re particularly keen to hear from arable, beef, sheep and dairy farmers looking to enhance their farm businesses,” he said.