Tips for marketing eggs from around the world

The UK sits in the middle of the pack when it comes to egg consumption. While concerted efforts have seen the per capita number of eggs eaten per year rise steadily over the last 3 decades – now hovering at around the 200 a year mark – the UK still lags far behind super consumers like Japan (333) and Mexico (360).

The UK is also behind a number of countries with shoppers of a similar socio-economic profile. Australia, Canada, Denmark and Germany are all approaching 250 eggs a year, indicating there is room to lift consumption. It’s what drove Lohmann technical manager Jamie McIntosh to undertake a Nuffield Scholarship looking at different markets and how they drive egg consumption. He examined how businesses across the globe harness the health profile and convenience of eggs in their promotional messages¹.

Marketing campaigns are often developed by large players, but individual farmers can do their part as well in connecting with consumers. Photo: Henk Riswick

Health benefits of eggs

Eggs have a good story to tell when it comes to nutritional profile. They are a complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids that the human body needs but cannot make for itself, as well as a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Hens’ diets can also be enriched to further boost nutrition, McIntosh says. But more recent work has found that eggs have a major role to play as a ‘brain food’. They contain a balance of fats that can feed brain development and are rich in choline – an essential nutrient important for memory function and healthy cells. Choline is of benefit to developing babies but it has been estimated that some 90% of pregnant women do not consume enough of it. At the other end of life, the vitamin D present in eggs (one of the few foods that contains it) and protein content can help to ward off sarcopenia – the degenerative loss of muscle mass common in the over 50s.

Beyond human consumption

Research has identified a range of alternative uses for eggs that may come into play in future:

• Protein structures in egg whites can be used to fight infection.
• Yolk lipids could potentially be used as data transmitters in computer chips.
• Egg shells can be used to filter air without using energy.
• Egg membrane is increasingly used as an ingredient in pet food, as a source of pro-collagen.

Convincing consumers at an early age that eggs are healthy. Photo: Joris Telders

Promotion

Most countries where eggs sales are strong have a central promotional body, like the British Egg Industry Council, to coordinate national marketing (see box, top targets for egg consumption). They often coordinate consumer-facing social media campaigns (top tip – keep content fresh) and increasingly target the food service sector. One campaign by Egg Farmers of Canada aimed to sell eggs to wholesalers by pointing out the benefits that are unique to eggs.

• Low cost and high profit potential.
• Little fluctuation in cost.
• Easy and quick to prepare.
• Safe and dependable supply.
• Consistent quality.

Branding and enrichments

Across the world, McIntosh found a range of brands that promoted eggs as healthy and convenient foods. Many companies now offer enriched products with vitamins or nutrients like selenium added for example:

• Danish egg brand Danaeg, for example, markets Omega 3-enriched eggs and a liquid egg alternative based around fitness.
• Columbia’s Super Reyecitos brand, aimed at “strengthening the brain” during school years – enriched with Vitamin B9, selenium and omega 3.
• Japanese egg packer Akita offers a brand named Vita Gold – a multi-vitamin enriched pack with nine added vitamins including B1, B12, A, D, E and K, as well as omega fatty acids, DHA and EPA.

In China, McIntosh discovered, some businesses are selling more than 25% of their eggs online. Food for thought.

¹ Explore new ways eggs can be marketed to maintain a steady increase in egg consumption, by Jamie McIntosh, is available to download in full on the Nuffield Scholarship website and was supported by The MacRobert Trust and his employer Lohmann GB.