In this pascal period, the egg is not at the party. In box of six or twelve, it is scarce in the shelves. And in chocolate form, at the Kinder brand, it has purely and simply been eradicated. The consumer is on the teeth. On the bottom of scarlet, the egg hunt is open.
Kinder egg lovers have been warned. No question of chewing, at the risk of swallowing some unwanted salmonella. The manufacturer, Italian Ferrero, was ringing the bells. Its Belgian plant in Arlon has elapsed, in many countries, tons of potentially contaminated confectionery. Balance sheet: Nearly 150 cases of salmonellosis detected in Europe.
Although he tried to dwell ear, in this crucial commercial period, he had to obey. The rays of supermarkets very garnished with Easter chocolate have been relieved by half. Gourmands, however, have to feast among chocolate artisans and have the choice to buy a chocolate hen rather than an egg.
Conditioners rub your hands
The egg or the hen? The question does not arise in front of the shelves of the egg boxes. The offer beats the wing. And for good reason. The pace of laying abruptly slowed in France, with the sudden acceleration of the bird flu epidemic. The H5N1 virus has appeared at the end of November 2021 in a breeding of 160,000 laying hens in the northern department. Then he sevi in the southwest, plumating duck farms. Its resurgence, at the end of February in Vendée, and its lightning diffusion in the Loire countries gave the goose bumps to the eggs sector.
“This region is the second largest egg producer, behind Brittany. It represents 16% of the total French volume. In addition, a hatchery that provides 45% of the French chicks was touched,” says Philippe Juven, Chairman of the National Committee for the Promotion of the Egg (CNOC). Between solid slaughter of chickens and contaminated pullets, touched hatch and compulsory sanitary empty in the affected areas, the shot is tough. Especially since restarting the pump of the spawning will take time. “We believe that egg production is expected to fall by 9% in France in the first half of 2022 and 12% in the second,” says Maxime Chaumet, Secretary-General of NOC. No hen, ten eggs at a dozen.
In this context of limited resource, the course of the egg flambos. Since the beginning of the avian influenza epidemic, he has almost doubled, to go beyond the rating of the 12 euros a hundred. Conditioners are rubbing hands, now in force position to demand large distribution brands to effect the outbreak of costs on department rates. Restoration and industry will have to juggle to stock up. Between scarcity of eggs and sunflower oil, the Mayo egg, already offered at the map of breweries at a prohibitive price, will become a food of Gourmet. Similarly for poultry, become luxury hen …