The Sainsbury’s Egg Group will collaborate with the retailer’s egg farmers to help them become more resilient.
As one of Sainsbury’s top 20-selling products, the retailer has announced a new development group to support its egg farmers and protect the supply of this popular protein for years to come.
An industry first, the Sainsbury’s Egg Group will launch next month and will collaborate with the retailer’s three main egg packers, including over 100 farmers from across the UK who supply it with eggs.
“We know how important eggs are for our customers, but we’re also aware of the challenges facing egg farmers, such as increased production costs and sustainability targets,” said Gavin Hodgson, Director of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Horticulture at Sainsbury’s.
“We’re proud of our history in innovating and supporting the egg industry, and our strong relationships with suppliers are the key to making change. Last year, we moved from one-year to five-year partnerships with our egg supply base to give them confidence in their businesses. The new Sainsbury’s Egg Group aims to support farmers further, helping shift to more sustainable and resilient production.”
Through this, Sainsbury’s will take a leadership position in paying for egg farmers by always paying the cost of production or above for eggs. This has provided financial reassurance in a volatile market, giving farmers the confidence to invest in future business advancements.
It has also laid the foundation for better communication and decision-making alignment, driving improvement for farmers and customers.
Building on the progress made by Sainsbury’s move to free-range eggs, the group will be supported in driving continuous improvement in animal welfare. One example of this has been sharing data and insights between farms, helping to facilitate learning.
The retailer has worked similarly with its Dairy Development Group for over 15 years, significantly improving cow health by producing, on average, an extra 1000 litres of milk each year.
One of the requests for those signing up to the group has been a commitment to carbon reduction in their production and an annual carbon footprint assessment.
Supported by the retailer, many farmers have already started making progress themselves, such as reducing soy in feed and replacing it with alternatives like maise and moving towards renewable energy, including solar panels and heat pumps.
Gillian Potter, an egg farmer from North Yorkshire, said that Sainsbury's newly aligned producer group has given them the peace of mind they can expect to receive a fair return on their eggs. It has also allowed them to consider and plan for future investments.
In 2009, Sainsbury’s became the first major retailer to stock 100 percent cage-free eggs and in 2012, it became 100 percent cage-free for all eggs used as product ingredients.
Since 2020, Sainsbury’s eggs have been free-range, laid by hens free to roam and forage in woodlands. The retailer donates 1p for every dozen free-range eggs sold to the Woodland Trust to fund tree-planting projects throughout the UK.
