WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The cost of a dozen eggs spiked by 10 percent in October. We spoke with a couple of north country bakeries where eggs are the bread-and-butter of their business.
“From the baked goods to the bread to every single item on our brunch menu for the most part contains eggs,” said Sarah Radmanovic, owner of Chrissy Beanz Bakery & Cafe.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of a dozen large Grade A eggs is up $1.60 from last year. You now pay around $3.42.
“Eggs are a hot commodity. We go through probably 60 to 120 dozen for the week,” said Leanore Grant, general manager at Chrissy Beanz Bakery & Cafe.
Experts say the surging egg prices are primarily due to one of the worst outbreaks of avian flu in U.S. history. It’s a concern for the owner of Europe Cakes in downtown Watertown.
“They’ve been very expensive, yeah. It’s like two to three times more than the original price this time last year,” said owner Monica Atanasova.
Experts say that nearly 37 million egg-laying hens have died due to avian flu since the beginning of the year, meaning 10 percent fewer eggs in the U.S.
The U.S. Agriculture Department says egg prices might come down during the first quarter of 2023.
As for the businesses we spoke with, both say they have not raised their prices.
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