The largest US egg-producing companies of 2022

Learn what companies are the largest egg producers in the U.S. in 2022.

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U.S. egg producers added an estimated 14.2 million cage-free hens in the 12 months since December 1, 2020. (Austin Alonzo)
U.S. egg producers added an estimated 14.2 million cage-free hens in the 12 months since December 1, 2020. (Austin Alonzo)

The 2021 Top Egg Company Survey estimates that the 67 largest U.S. egg producers had 344.72 million hens housed on December 31, 2021, 0.37 million less than the 345.36 million hens reported in the 2021 survey. The Top Egg Company survey is conducted annually, and the results reported are composed of a combination of company-submitted information and estimates made based on input from publicly reported information and industry sources. Companies are ranked based on the number of hens housed on December 31.

The Top Egg Company Survey report estimates that there are 17.75 million more hens housed in the U.S. than does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The November 22, 2021, USDA Chicken And Eggs Report estimated that the U.S. had 326.97 million table egg-laying hens housed on November 1, 2021, up 1% from the estimated 323.97 million head housed on November 1, 2020.

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Largest egg producer adds 2.52 million hens

Cal-Maine Foods added 2.52 million hens and remains the largest egg producer in the U.S. and the world with 44.26 million hens housed on December 31, 2021. Some of Cal-Maine’s increased hen numbers is attributable to the completion of the acquisition of Rose Acre Farms’ half of the Red River Valley egg farm. Rose Acre Farms is estimated to have 27.59 million hens housed, virtually unchanged from last year’s survey, and is the nation’s second largest egg producer.

Hillandale Farms’ flock numbers were unchanged from last year at 20 million head and is the third largest U.S. egg producer. Versova Holdings had 19.95 million hens housed on December 31, down approximately 0.11 million from the prior survey. Daybreak Foods’ flock decreased by 0.52 million to 14.48 million hens. In total, the top 5 egg producers in the U.S. added approximately 1.88 million hens since the last survey.

Fewer hens in 10 largest egg companies

The 10 largest U.S. egg producers had 181.21 million hens in this year’s survey, down 1.85 million hens from last year. In total, the top 10 U.S. egg producers housed 52.6% of the total U.S. table egg laying flock in this year’s survey, essentially unchanged from last year’s survey. The egg producers ranked sixth through 10th have a combined 3.73 million fewer hens housed this survey than last year.

Michael Foods remains the sixth largest egg producer with 11.91 million hens housed, down 1.59 million from last year. Michael Foods sold Willamette Farms to Northwest Farms and Proterra Investment Partners. Center Fresh Group added 2.13 million hens and moved in to seventh place in the rankings with 11.50 million hens. MPS Egg Farms’ hen numbers were unchanged at 11.1 million hens and fell to the eighth spot in this year’s survey.

Prairie Star Farms reduced its hens housed to 9.3 million, 1.3 million less than last year, and fell to ninth in this year’s rankings. Gemperle Family Farms moved up to 10th in the rankings this year with 8.60 million hens after the acquisition of National Food Corp. Gemperle Family Farms had 5.30 million hens in last year’s survey.

Ranking 11 to 20

Opal Foods, with 8.30 million hens housed, placed at 11th in the rankings. Rose Acre Farms and Weaver Eggs purchased Opal Foods in October 2020. Opal Foods continues to be operated as an independent company. Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is the 12th largest U.S. egg producer with 8.30 million hens housed, down 1.4 million head from last year.

Weaver Brothers, Sauder’s Eggs, and Rembrandt Enterprises rank came in 13th, 14th and 15th in the rankings this year, respectively. Kreider Farms, Hickman’s Egg Ranch and Mid-States Specialty Eggs each had only small changes in their hen numbers and rank 16th, 17th and 18th in this year’s survey rankings. Hidden Villa Ranch was one of the biggest movers in this year’s survey, moving into the nineteenth spot with 5.50 million hens. Sparboe Farms ranks as the 20th largest U.S. egg producer with 5.48 million head of hens.

The market share for the top 20 U.S. egg producers declined slightly from last year to just under 72% of the total.

 

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