Attorney General James Secures More Than 50 Million Eggs and $3.3 Million After Uncovering Illegal Scheme to Manipulate Egg Prices

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured more than 50 million eggs for consumers nationwide and $3.3 million from some of the nation’s largest egg producers for colluding behind the scenes to raise prices. A bipartisan multistate investigation led by the Office of the New York Attorney General (OAG) alongside the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that Cal-Maine Foods (Cal-Maine), Versova/Centrum (Versova), and Hickman’s Egg Ranch (Hickman’s) illegally coordinated for years to influence a daily price index for eggs, which artificially increased prices for retailers and consumers throughout the country. Of the 53 million eggs obtained through the settlement, approximately 4.9 million eggs will be delivered directly to food banks and community organizations serving New Yorkers.

“When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs,” Attorney General James. “These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses. By shutting this scheme down and delivering millions of eggs to those in need, we’re sending a clear message that companies will not get away with illegal price hikes in New York.”

Attorney General James and the coalition’s investigation found that from approximately June 2022 to March 2025, the egg producers secretly communicated with each other to coordinate their bidding activity and influence the daily egg price quotes published by Urner Barry, a benchmark pricing service widely used in egg supply contracts. For example, in December 2022, Hickman’s CEO emailed Versova and Cal-Maine executives urging them to submit “strong bids, early and often” to push prices higher. All three companies then submitted dozens of bids at higher prices, which led to Urner Barry increasing its price quotes. By manipulating the Urner Barry benchmark, the companies artificially inflated the price of eggs paid by retailers and consumers across the nation.

Under the settlement, all three companies must end their illegal coordination to manipulate prices, adopt compliance measures to prevent future violations, and fully cooperate with oversight by the states. The companies must designate antitrust compliance officers who will monitor for violations of the settlement and report violations to the states and DOJ. The 53 million donated eggs will be provided at the companies’ expense to food banks and nonprofit organizations across the participating states, and must meet all food safety and regulatory standards. The companies will also pay a combined $3.3 million to the states.

Joining Attorney General James and DOJ in securing this settlement are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

For New York, this matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Isabella Pitt, James Yoon, and Senior Enforcement Counsel Michael D. Schwartz, and Legal Fellow Amanda McBain of the Antitrust Bureau, and with the assistance of Assistant Attorney General John P. Figura of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Elinor R. Hoffmann and Deputy Bureau Chief Amy McFarlane. The Antitrust Bureau is part of the Division of Economic Justice, overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Christopher D’Angelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.