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Egg Cartel Settles: $3.3M Fine, 53 M Eggs to Hawaii

7/4/2026

35 7 Full Breakdown

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Cal-Maine Price Fix

Prosecutors allege Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch colluded via a CEO email to inflate Urner Barry egg prices.
The three companies will pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs, pending court approval.
Hawaii could receive about 1 million donated eggs, sent directly to local food banks if approved.
Egg prices rose 30% to $9.46 mainland and 20% to $9.51 locally, tightening Hawaii’s supply.

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Trump Demands Cuts

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social urging stations to cut to $2.50 and praised a Philadelphia retailer’s July 3 cuts.
Egg producers Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch will pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs, pending court approval.
Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission urged probes of price-fixing.
AAA reported regular-gas averaging $3.82, $0.40 lower than a month earlier.

History

Historical Context

Litigation that began in 2011 and concluded in 2023, led by Kraft, accused major egg producers of inflating prices between 2004 and 2008, while New York’s 2020 suit against Hillandale alleged pandemic price gouging. Building on that precedent, 2024 enforcement forces Cal-Maine, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s to pay a $3.3 million fine and donate 53 million eggs, underscoring ongoing antitrust vigilance.

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Cal-Maine Price Fix

Prosecutors allege Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch colluded via a CEO email to inflate Urner Barry egg prices.
The three companies will pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs, pending court approval.
Hawaii could receive about 1 million donated eggs, sent directly to local food banks if approved.
Egg prices rose 30% to $9.46 mainland and 20% to $9.51 locally, tightening Hawaii’s supply.

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