Cafe Owner in scramble mode as egg prices skyrocket across Southern California

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – If you love eggs, you’ve probably noticed breakfast is getting "eggs-pensive."

“I’m really not happy about the egg prices, but I’m still going to order eggs," said customer Davie Wiener of Jeannine's Restaurant and Bakery in Santa Barbara.

Owner Alison Hardey of the eatery is also feeling the pinch of skyrocketing egg prices.

During the holiday season, she didn’t think it was a big deal. 

“Around December they started climbing. We decided to just absorb the cost … just take the bullet … I guess you could say," said Hardey.

Now, Hardey is in scramble-mode as egg prices soar across the nation. 

“Recently though, it’s becoming a lot more difficult for us to get eggs," said Hardey.

Every week, her chefs use an average 10,000 shelled eggs for their customers’ meals.

“Our entire business is based on eggs … oh my gosh … it’s been really frustrating … because we think we’re through the worst," said Hardey.

But the egg price hike doesn’t seem to be coming down to earth any time soon.

“We’ve had to unfortunately decided … grudgingly so … do a surcharge on our eggs. It’s $2 dollars for an egg dish," said Hardey.

According to a report released by the US department of agriculture on Tuesday, egg prices are projected to increase by 41.1% in 2025 as a result of the bird flu.

Margo Redfern of Wanderment Farms in Santa Barbara is checking in on her chickens. 

“So they get to wander … but they’re kept in safe with the electric fences. They go wherever they go …wherever they can," said Redfern.

Redfern is glad to see her 400 chickens are in good shape.

“Because they are super healthy chickens … and they get to forage all day … so they produce nutrient dense eggs," said Redfern. “This is where the girls lay eggs … they come in here and they lay … and then we come in and pick it up at the end of the day.”

Redfern believes egg producers who “pack in” their chickens in small confined areas are partly to blame for the bird flu spreading out of control.

“If one gets sick, everybody gets sick. And so millions of birds had to be destroyed. And if you buy a new chick, it takes five months before they start to lay," said Redfern.

Until that happens, Redfern doesn’t believe there are enough eggs to meet consumer demand.

“So with 1 million chickens … imagine how many eggs over a year you’ve lost, right? 300 times 1,000,000 … so that’s a lot of eggs that are no longer in the marketplace," said Redfern.

It’s not clear who is raising prices — the farmers or the distributors.

Regardless, the consumer is paying for it.

“I like eggs … and I’m going to make do … I’ll find places to save elsewhere," said Wiener.

“I debate a lot of days … whether we can make it or not … it’s that bad," said Hardey.