Working with Your Food Service Management Company during an Egg Shortage

Posted on: 15 June 2015

Using a food service management company can be a great way for schools, hospitals, and large companies to reduce their labor costs and still provide quality meals to their students, patients, or employees. However, the recent avian flu outbreak may cause some changes in the way that food service management companies meet the nutritional needs of their clients. Here are some ways that your organization's food service management contract may be changing in the coming months, and some ways that you can work with your management company to be proactive.

Sick Chickens Means Fewer Eggs

The sad truth is that sick chickens don't produce quality eggs. Just like you would not want someone who has the flu preparing your food, it is generally not a good idea to eat eggs that have been laid by chickens who have the flu. What's more, these sick chickens are dying, meaning that there are significantly less egg producing chickens in the United States than there were just a month ago. For this reason, the nation's egg supply is becoming more limited every day.

Responding to the Egg Shortage

As the problem becomes more noticeable, food suppliers will have a harder time meeting the needs of their clients, especially fulfilling large orders made by food service companies. If you contract with a food service management company, this may mean that there will be a price increase passed along to your organization in order to offset the rising cost of eggs. This is especially true if your organization frequently includes egg-based menu items or large breakfast selections

In order to avoid some of these increased costs, it may be possible to make some menu changes. Looking for ways to substitute other proteins or binders in certain dishes may make the egg shortage more palatable. Talk to your food service manger about switching to more readily-available proteins, such as tofu, or using egg substitutes, like applesauce or flax meal, when baking.

Embrace the Positive

While there is little good that can come from a shortage in one of the nation's most affordable sources of protein, an egg-free lifestyle is not impossible. In fact, the current shortage may give your organization the opportunity to better understand and accommodate food related health issues, such as egg-allergies, which affect about 2% of all children in the U.S. By focusing on quality, egg-free menu options, your organization will not only avoid the rising cost of eggs, but also better serve those in the population with a serious food allergy. For food service assistance, go to website.

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