PG Web Extra: Hard News for Eggs

Fresh eggs aren’t the only branded egg products making inroads in supermarkets, which is the topic of a branded egg feature story in PG's August print issue. Branded hard-cooked eggs, whether sold in the refrigerated egg case, grab-and-go area, or the deli or salad bar area, appeal to consumers looking for a handy, protein-rich snack or ingredient.

“We felt hard-cooked eggs are a natural line extension – we can capture or sell to the same consumer base with different reasons,” says Jasen Urena, director of specialty eggs for Denver-based NestFresh Eggs Inc., which recently launched a 2-pack of 100 percent cage-free hard-cooked eggs, and is working on a 6-pack in a resealable-pouch format. “We’re giving them an item that’s more convenience-driven, for a salad or lunch or dinner, or for a snack. It makes it easier for people to use our products and still trust that they are coming from a reliable source.”

Hard-cooked eggs can also help retailers boost incremental sales. “We can take our brand and not only have it in the egg case, but project into the deli area or put 6-packs in the pre-packed salad section,” Urena notes.

Other brands that offer fresh eggs have branched out into hard-cooked items as well, including Malvern, Pa.-based Eggland’s Best, whose refrigerated, peeled and ready-to-eat products in this segment are sold in a stand-up pouch package that received a 2016 Cleanest Packaged Food Award from Prevention magazine.

Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs also has a line of hard-cooked eggs, sold in 2-packs. In addition to providing convenience in a peeled format and an easy-to-use package, Lansing, Ill.-based Davidson’s shares recipes for using hard-cooked eggs, from California Nicoise Salad to Egg Salad to Healthy Egg Salad Florentine, among other ideas.