Stewart’s sets 3-carton egg purchase limit

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer

Stewart’s Shops announced temporary limits on egg purchases — three dozen per customer per visit “to maintain ample supply for our loyal customers who rely on us for fresh and local eggs, dairy and grocery needs,” a press release said.

Stewart’s Public Relations Manager Robin Cooper told The Chronicle, “We’re seeing more and more instances where folks are wanting to buy larger quantities — not necessarily from us, just in general — so we just thought that it was a good time to make sure that we’re protecting our regular customers so they’re still able to buy eggs.”

Stewart’s also touted its prices.

“Stewart’s offers value because of our long-standing relationship with our egg supplier, Thomas Poultry Farm in Saratoga County. That partnership has allowed Stewart’s to offer eggs at a much lower price than most retailers across upstate New York and Vermont.”

“With our egg prices starting around $6 a dozen, Stewart’s retail price is not only lower than many retailers, it is lower than the wholesale cost that many businesses currently pay.”

The Thomas Poultry Farm in Schuylerville has “fortunately has not been impacted by bird flu,” Mr. Cooper said.

Still, “supply is tight around the country,” he said. “We haven’t had a problem, but this is us being a little proactive to prevent that from becoming an issue.”

Thomas’s said it can continue to supply eggs to Stewarts at a consistent level,” Mr. Cooper said. “But we don’t want to get in a situation where we do start running out.”

He noted, “There was a lot of attention nationally last week, more focus on eggs. The New York Times had one or two front page stories about it, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg. Then it became a subject of a Cabinet meeting for the new administration. Everyone’s focusing on this because it’s becoming an issue nationally, and we just decided to take steps.”

Stewart’s said placing a limit on egg purchases was “a difficult decision.”

“The country has contended with tight egg supplies since the bird flu reached the United States three years ago,” the company press release said. “The national shortage has caused egg market prices to more than double over the past year.”

The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $4.95 in January, eclipsing the previous record of $4.82 set two years earlier and more than double the low of $2.04 that was recorded in August 2023, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

Relief may not arrive anytime soon. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service February Food Price Outlook forecast a possible 41.1% increase in egg prices throughout 2025.

Mr. Cooper told The Chronicle he doesn’t know how long Stewart’s will have egg purchase limits in place.

“We’ll just have to watch what’s going on nationally and locally as far as egg supply,” he said. “We can’t put a time on it.”

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