Egg Shortages Prompt Alternative Boom
Published 25 February 2025
Recent outbreaks of avian flu have led to egg shortages and soaring prices globally. In the US, the average price of a dozen Grade A eggs reached $4.95 in January, surpassing the previous record, while in Australia, McDonald’s temporarily cut the hours of its breakfast service due to a local egg shortage. Interest in egg alternatives is growing.
According to its CEO, Josh Terrick, Californian mung bean egg alternative brand JUST Egg saw a fivefold year-on-year sales increase in January 2025. The food tech company is an industry leader, but with the plant-based egg market projected to expand in Europe by 40.6% between 2024 and 2031 and expected growth from $4.15bn in 2023 to $6.23bn by 2030 in the Asia-Pacific region, competitors are rushing to scale-up and launch new solutions.
British cold-pressed pea protein liquid egg Crackd is set to launch in the US in March, while American-based Crafty Counter will double the distribution footprint of its of nut and coconut milk WunderEggs this year. Similarly, Oggs, a British egg and bakery startup, hopes to unlock new manufacturing opportunities and invest in its grocery offerings, having passed its £450k crowdfunding target in 2024.
Meanwhile, Israeli start-up Zero Egg claims the 2024 iteration of its soy protein egg patty has a more realistic taste and texture than the earlier version of the product.
Previously only supplied to the foodservice industry, LA-based Yo Egg introduced its whole vegan eggs, made from a soy/chickpea protein and sunflower oil, to American consumers in 2024. The launch included products like The Poached One, The Patty One and plant-based Hollandaise Sauce.
JUST Egg
Crackd
WunderEggs
 JUST Egg |  Crackd |  WunderEggs |
Oggs
Zero Egg
Yo Egg
 Oggs |  Zero Egg |  Yo Egg |
Elsewhere, Israeli food tech startup PoLoPo unveiled its molecular farming platform SuperAA in 2024. It uses plants as “living factories” to grow proteins identical to those derived from animals. The startup has been able to grow ovalbumin, the main protein found in chicken eggs, inside potatoes.
Another brand to watch is Finnish food tech startup Onego Bio, which is planning to launch in the US in 2025. The startup recently submitted a formal notice to the US Food & Drug Administration claiming the safety of its precision-fermented egg protein Bioalbumen, which is made by using the Trichoderma reesei fungal strain to recreate ovalbumin.
For more on how technology is transforming the food industry, read Food + Tech trends 24/25. Also see The Future Flavour Forecast 25/26: Wellness Flavourways for trends in the alternative food market.