1.5M Free Eggs To Be Distributed In CT After Illegal Price Manipulation Scheme

Connecticut is starting to get 1.5 million free eggs, courtesy of a legal settlement which stopped a long-running scheme to illegally inflate egg prices nationwide.

Connecticut will be getting its eggs over the course of the next several months, though the first shipments arrived this month, officials announced Wednesday.

Attorney General William Tong said Connecticut was among a multi-state coalition which in June announced the settlement with three of the country’s largest egg producers, Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch.

According to Tong, the settlement followed a joint federal and state probe. Both retailers and consumers paid more for eggs than they should have because of the multi-year price inflation scheme, officials said.

As a condition of the settlement, the egg producers must deliver 53 million eggs to food pantries and community service organizations nationwide. Connecticut’s share is for 1.5 million eggs.

“Egg producers rigged the system to jack up their profits, and Connecticut families paid for it,” Tong said. “We stopped them, and now we’re delivering relief to those who need it most.”

Connecticut Foodshare, a food bank headquartered in Wallingford, is managing the distribution of the eggs in Connecticut. The eggs will be going to food pantries, mobile food pantries, community kitchens and shelters.

Connecticut Foodshare President and CEO Jason Jakubowski said the organization is grateful to the coalition of attorneys general for “holding these companies accountable.”

“Eggs are always in high demand across our network because they’re a versatile, nutritious source of protein,” Jakubowski said. “This distribution will help us get more of this much-needed food to communities across Connecticut and support families facing challenges putting food on the table.”

Under the settlement, the three egg producer companies must end their illegal coordination to manipulate prices, adopt compliance measures to prevent future violations, and fully cooperate with oversight by the states, according to Tong’s office.

In addition to the 53 million donated eggs, the companies will also pay a combined $3.3 million to the states. Connecticut’s share of this amount is $95,686.

Connecticut families can find a nearby mobile pantry by texting FOODSHARE to 8551 or by visiting https://mobilefoodpantry.ctfoodshare.org/.