2019 The Road Ahead

Through the efforts of the industry, notably egg marketing companies, the BEIC and individual entrepreneurs, we have a growing market and great opportunities to add value. Egg consumption is booming and we have a desirable product that consumers are prepared to pay for, but we are still collectively giving away much of this value.

With all the hard work, risk and investment we all put in, surely we should be asking “How much is this worth to consumers?”. Giving away margin certainly doesn’t lead to stable and sustainable businesses that can invest in people, products and facilities. The business casualties and financial results in the UK poultry industry, in the last few months, reflect this.

One of our priorities for 2019 is in selling this great sector to younger people, both as employees and consumers. Livestock production has a bad name in urban communities, especially amongst the young and we need to work with the farming community and sector bodies to address this. Having brought young people into the business, it is great to see how much they enjoy working in the industry and how they are amazed by what is behind a simple egg!

 Part of the excitement of working in our ever-changing industry is that it always presents us with opportunities – succession planning, new parent stock facilities, hatchery automation, in-ovo sexing, specialty breeds, white egg layers, barn or free range, beak treatment, feed buying, energy efficiency, IT systems, marketing.

 Whatever 2019 brings it does strike me that we are lucky to work in such an industry!