Industry Expert: 'I Don't See Consumer Demand For Eggs Waning'

Shares of egg producer Cal-Maine Foods Inc (NASDAQ: CALM) fell 2 percent over concerns on falling consumer demand for eggs.

However, industry expert Angie Setzer of Citizens Grain Elevator thinks otherwise.

"To be honest I don't see consumer demand for eggs waning, but the transition towards cage-free seems to be picking up steam. Like anything else in the food industry consumer sentiment will drive market trends and change the way some aspects of the business are handled," Setzer told Benzinga.

"The million-dollar question as we look ahead is whether or not the cage-free push is something that has staying power, or if consumers will feel that their voices have been heard enough that they begin to focus on the next food crisis du jour," she added.

Related Link: Wal-Mart Says All Of Its Eggs Will Come From Cage-Free Sources By 2025

Setzer said Cal-Maine will make necessary changes to production to remain competitive if the concern over loss in market share is "great enough."

"Demand for eggs, however, in my opinion will remain steady, if not grow in the years ahead. Eggs are a protein packed power food, if they can survive the cholesterol scare of the 90's they will be able to continue to see demand remain through the cage-free concerns of the 2010's," Setzer noted.

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