California residents are increasingly noticing how food prices are rising every month. Literally everything is becoming more expensive — from vegetables to everyday goods. Eggs have been hit the hardest — not only are they harder to find, but their prices have skyrocketed. Let’s figure out what’s behind this.
How Much Have Food Prices Increased?
In recent years, food prices in the U.S. have been rising at record rates. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices increased by 9.9% in 2022 — the highest jump since 1979. The cost of groceries for home cooking rose by 11.4%, while meals in cafes and restaurants became 7.7% more expensive.
In California, the situation is even worse. For example, in San Francisco, grocery prices rose by 2.2% over the past year, and dining out became 5% more expensive. In Los Angeles, food prices jumped by 3.3%.
Why Is There an Egg Shortage in California?
The egg shortage is a separate issue, driven by several factors:
Bird Flu Outbreak
A severe avian flu epidemic has wiped out millions of chickens across the country. In California alone, the virus forced farmers to cull over 600,000 chickens in San Joaquin County. Nationwide, more than 50 million birds died — the highest number in U.S. history.
Free-Range Egg Law
Since the beginning of 2024, California has implemented a law requiring that all eggs sold in the state must come from free-range hens. This significantly increased the production cost of eggs, and many farms simply stopped supplying eggs to California. As a result, shelves have been left empty.
Corporate Greed
Some large producers took advantage of the crisis to boost profits. For example, Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg supplier in the U.S., increased its profits sevenfold in one year — even though its farms were not affected by bird flu.
How Is This Affecting People?
- Shoppers: In some stores, eggs reached prices of $9.32 per dozen — almost twice the national average. Many Californians even drove to Mexico to buy cheaper eggs.
- Restaurants: Small cafes and diners are struggling to survive. A box of eggs that used to cost around $20 now costs $150.
- Food Banks: Organizations that provide free food to those in need are also suffering. On average, eggs for food banks became $2.27 more expensive per dozen in just eight months.
When Will Things Get Better?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture promises that egg prices will stabilize closer to the summer of 2025, with $1 billion allocated to address the issue. However, experts doubt that this will drastically improve the situation.
The rise in food prices in California is driven by global crises, local laws, and corporate greed. Ordinary shoppers and small businesses are suffering the most. While officials try to fix the problem, residents are left either searching for cheaper alternatives or hoping the crisis will end soon.
We’ll continue to monitor the situation and hope that groceries will become more affordable again.
