Egg shortage: your breakfast and baking have just become a lot more costly

(Image: iStock)

Bakers, Banters and pretty much everyone else are in a scramble to find a solution as the Western Cape has lost more than 60% of its layer eggs, due to the dreaded avian influenza that has affected the province’s birds, IOL reports. 

ALSO READ: Cape Town pastry chef weighs in on the alarming shortage of butter in SA

We know what you’re thinking – water, butter and now eggs! How will we cope?! At Food24 we love the versatility of eggs – poached, Benedict, boiled, mixed with flour and cocoa for a decadent chocolate cake and the list could go on forever! Their flexibility, however, means that the shortage and increasing prices of eggs are affecting people from all walks of life, some worse than others.

The hospitality and restaurant industry is one that’s definitely taking a knock. We spoke to Sonja Edridge, owner of the Larder Café in Claremont to find out how they’re coping. 

“The egg crisis has hurt us quite substantially. We are egg-loving folk here, breakfast focused entirely and love our all-day brekkies. Price has rocketed and supply has been an issue, luckily free range eggs have been less affected than regular ones, but I believe it’s the laying stock that has been greatly affected so it will be a longer term issue.”

She highlighted what many other cafés, restaurants and bakeries are struggling with too.

“Our baking has been affected too, due to the drought making butter insanely pricey! So eggs and butter together a crazy mix! We pay the same as everyone with butter, there is no wholesale price, so it does make running a business quite tricky! We try to smile, explain and keep on the light side and drink more coffee. We are lucky, I feel for the egg and chicken farmers, for them it has been very harsh!”

The well-loved Wynberg café, Four & Twenty’s Tracy-Leigh Genrick told us that they’re still very lucky to be paying the exact same price for their free-range eggs.

“We order about 1500 eggs per week through Eggcellent Eggs and they have kept their price at the same price for us for which we are so grateful.” They do, however, have to buy some more from other companies to make up for demand.

ALSO READ: Your guide to smart baking substitutes

Food24 spoke to the Mount Nelson‘s Executive pastry chef, Craig Hibbert, who noted that he uses the most eggs in the hotel.

“For now we’re bulking up and we’re trying to find more eggs wherever we can,” he said. The One&Only’s director of food and beverage echoed this sentiment and told The Hotel Show that hotels are working together and sharing information about supplies to ensure that their guests’ requirements are met.

Wondering how you’ll cope with the egg shortage? Try these eggless recipes

Egg-free malva pudding
Simple pancake

Eggless triple chocolate cake

Also check out our vegan recipe hub HERE!