Despite ongoing spats between Europe’s egg producers, and a total lack of clarity as to what will happen come January 2012 when the cage ban will come into force (or won’t depending on where you are!), egg production still looks like a pretty safe bet.
With interest rates remaining low in many economies, and the global outlook expected to worsen, just where do you invest your money? It is often said that you can make money as easily in a downturn as you can in a growing market, and as many economies are expected to start contracting again, now could be the right time to invest in the egg industry.
We all know that eggs represent a good and economical source of protein, and research in the US would suggest that consumers are now acting on what they know.
Eating more, wanting more
According to Mintel, since the recession began in 2008, consumers in the US have been purchasing larger volumes of eggs as a substitute for more expensive proteins. Between April 2009 and June 2010, the 30-day average of eggs used increased to its highest level in seven years – 33 eggs per household.
Another interesting fact to emerge from the Mintel report was that 30% of respondents to its survey said that they ate fewer eggs than they would like to!
So not only are consumers eating more eggs due to reduced circumstances, but there is also a significant number of consumers who would like to consume more eggs irrespective of circumstances. This sounds like a growth opportunity to me.
It is always nice to make a positive out of a negative. The consensus may be that the global economy will, once again, deteriorate, and for those economies that have lived beyond their means for so long, the chickens are now coming home to roost.
Let us hope that those chickens are layers, and if you have any money to invest, now might be the time to give them a helping hand.
