Farm Fresh Eggs: 7 Things to Tell Your Customers
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Selling your farm fresh eggs? There’s no doubt that farm fresh eggs are different from traditional store-bought eggs! Here are some important differences that you will want to mention to customers when selling your farm fresh eggs.
By Kaylee Vaughn When the COVID-19 pandemic began effecting conventional sources of our food supply, many people began seeing empty grocery store shelves. Eggs were (and still are) one of the many items that people have had a hard time finding at the grocery store. Because of this, many people began looking for local sources of eggs.
It excites me to see people begin to look for local ways to fill the gaps in their food supply. Keeping food chains as local as possible provides opportunities for resilience for both local growers and consumers!
Personally, we have never professionally marketed or sold our eggs. However, we have always offered them to friends, family and coworkers. When the pandemic began, our requests nearly doubled in just a few weeks! In fact, we have had a steady waitlist since March!
If you are just starting to sell or share your own farm fresh eggs, there are some educational points that you will most likely want to share with your new customers. Educating them will help them prepare for any differences that they may experience when trying farm fresh eggs for the first time. Bottom line: it’s just good customer service!
Over the years, we have sold eggs to a wide range of people. Some of them are very familiar with homegrown food while others aren’t. Regardless of their experience, I’ve learned that a little education can go a long way in ensuring they have a positive experience!
7 Important Things to Tell Your Customers about Farm Fresh Eggs
If you sell farm fresh eggs, it’s important to be willing to help your customer understand the differences between farm fresh eggs and conventional eggs. Here are some educational points that you may want to address with new customers when they begin buying eggs from you.
State Requirements:
Each state has different requirements for selling eggs. Become familiar with your state’s requirements before you begin selling eggs. You can usually find these requirements online. If you need help understanding them, you can begin by calling your local extension office for help.
Understanding these laws will affect how you are able to sell your eggs. You may also need to communicate this to your clients. For instance, the law may require that your eggs are only purchased on-site, which is why you can’t offer delivery. Be upfront with your clients about these laws if they have any questions regarding the way that you sell your eggs.
Washed or Unwashed:
Depending on your state requirements, you may or may not be required to wash your eggs before you can sell them. This is an important thing to let your customers know. If your eggs are washed, that means that the protective bloom (coating) has been removed and that the eggs should be refrigerated. If the eggs are unwashed, let your customers know that the bloom is still intact. However, I would still recommend that customers wash their eggs before use to remove any tiny bits of dirt or droppings that may be on the shell.
Yolk Color:
Many of our new customers are shocked by how dark the yolk is, in our farm fresh eggs! One person was even concerned that the eggs had gone bad! Because of this, we now always give new customers a heads up about what to expect. Dark yolks are far more common in farm fresh eggs since the chickens usually have a varied diet.
Check out these other commonly believed chicken myths that your customers may ask you about!
Shell color:
One of the wonderful things about farm fresh eggs is the variety of beautiful egg colors! However, not everyone is used to colorful eggs! We had one new customer who specifically requested no blue eggs because they “freaked” her out (in her own words!). We were happy to accommodate her request and include only brown and white eggs in her orders. However, most of our customers absolutely love the full range of eggshell colors that come in their dozen!
Shell variations:
Every shell is unique! Some have thick membranes that make them hard to crack while others are thinner. And sometimes they have bumps, calcium deposits or unique textures. Some even change color right in the middle of the egg! It’s important to let your new egg customers know that shells may look different from time to time but that they are still perfectly fine to eat.
Varying sizes:
Just like shell colors and textures can vary, so can the size of farm fresh eggs. Pullets (young layers) generally lay eggs that are smaller than mature layers. If you have bantams in your flock, their eggs can be especially tiny. Let your customers know that egg sizes may vary from time to time. We even had a customer who preferred bantam eggs because they made perfect snack-sized hard-boiled eggs!
Housing and diets:
Many customers will want to know how your chickens are housed and what they are fed. Answering honestly is very important because everyone deserves to know how and where their food is grown. However, you still may need to educate your customers. For instance, you may need to explain that having a rooster will produce fertilized eggs, but it doesn’t mean that there are baby chicks in their eggs! Or, you may need to explain that free-range chickens are definitely not vegetarians. Being honest and upfront is always the best way to create raving reviews from customers who enjoy your farm fresh eggs!
