Eggland’s Best’s patented formula for producing the highest-quality eggs possible has led to consistent sales growth throughout the past 144 consecutive months.

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Eggland’s Best might not know the answer to the ultimate egg question – whether or not it came before the chicken – but it’s clear that the company knows its eggs. President Charlie Lanktree says that’s because the company has been working its entire existence to produce the ultimate eggs. So far, the company has succeeded in this goal, Lanktree says, by producing eggs that are considered by many health experts to be part of a healthy diet and achieving significant sales growth throughout its history.

The company was founded in 1988 by independent entrepreneurs, and by 1992 it was marketing the first Eggland’s Best brand eggs to supermarkets. Since that time, the company’s patented formula for producing the best eggs possible has led to unprecedented growth. Lanktree says the company has seen its sales rise for 144 consecutive months. “Basically, we’ve had 12 years of double-digit sales growth,” he says. Last year, the company’s sales growth in units rose 26 percent.

Lanktree says Eggland’s Best earns its name through its stringent standards for producing eggs and relentless testing of its products. Even as the economy falters, the company’s formula for success continues to pay off, as it marked sales increases of more than 26 percent for all its brands in 2008, according to Lanktree. Some new ideas are giving the company the chance to improve on that.

Egg-ceptional Standards
What makes Eggland’s Best eggs better than the competition is the company’s dedication to making them the best, Lanktree says. “First of all, we have first and foremost the most stringent standards in the egg industry,” he says.

“The industry might do 200 tests a year, but Eggland’s Best did 47,700 tests internally all year,” says Dr. Bartel Slaugh, director of quality assurance.

Slaugh is in charge of the company’s strict quality assurance program, which tests practically every aspect of the eggs for the best possible quality. Going into detail about all the tests Eggland’s Best performs would be a lengthy process, Lanktree says, but they run the gamut from simple to highly technical. “Some are complicated, some are as simple as testing the strength of the yoke,” he says.

Eggland’s Best also tests its eggs for cholestorol and saturated fat content, among other things. The company also has no less than three independent laboratories performing their own tests to back up its findings, Slaugh says. He says the company goes above and beyond the standards established by the USDA.

“We’ve established increased standards, better standards and hopefully justified standards for ourselves and we have to be better,” Lanktree says. “We need to be better.”

The result is an egg that is recognized by most consumers and health experts as superior. “It’s very rewarding to see all the e-mails we get from customers who recognize the taste difference of Eggland’s Best,” Lanktree says. He adds that the company’s products have been named by Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines as one of the best products for promoting good health.

Eggland’s Best eggs have 19 percent less cholesterol, 25 percent less saturated fat and 10 times more Vitamin E than other eggs, Lanktree says. The company also fortifies its eggs with 100 mg of Omega-3 oil, which has been shown to have a beneficial effect on heart health. Even though Lanktree says the company doesn’t claim that its eggs reduce cholesterol, its eggs have been recommended by doctors as part of a cholesterol-conscious diet.

Better Value
Standing out in the marketplace for quality and health benefits is more important than ever, Lanktree says, given the increased pressure Eggland’s Best finds itself up against. “The biggest challenges are competing with the prices of generic eggs,” he says.

Surprisingly, Eggland’s Best has to watch the price of generic brands not because it’s worried about competing directly with them, but because the price of generics has a direct impact on what grocers charge for Eggland’s Best’s products. Many times, grocers will raise or lower Eggland’s Best prices to keep pace with generics. Lanktree says the company watches grocers to make sure they don’t keep the prices of Eggland’s Best eggs higher just because they are such a powerful consumer brand.

“We justify a premium price,” Lanktree says. “We have to watch how premium our premium price is, especially in the context of this economy.” Still, he adds, eggs are a relatively inexpensive source of protein and many consumers understand the value eggs bring to their grocery budget. With eggs, he says, shoppers can buy a week’s worth of meals in a single carton.
“You can have a full meal for the price of a candy bar,” Lanktree says.

Breaking Out
Interestingly enough, Eggland’s Best is developing products for the future that could be considered a meal by many, or at least a quick snack. “We hope to come out with a few different products,” Lanktree says. “[We’re testing] a product that’s a hard-cooked and peeled product.”

The hard-cooked eggs come ready-to-eat in a bag, and Lanktree says he believes consumers will take to them because they are more appealing than the alternative. “Historically, people cut back on eggs for one of two reasons: cholesterol and convenience,” he says. “With cholesterol, Eggland’s Best solves the problem. With convenience, we have a new product that’s hard-cooked.”

Lanktree says he sees the future of the company in finding new ways to reach consumers. Additionally, the company will continue to focus on improving its products and processes to maintain its status as the premium brand in the crowded marketplace. He says the company’s growth shows that it has found the winning formula, and Eggland’s Best will stick to it.

“We feel we’re going to continue to grow as we add different varieties and different products that we’re working on,” he says. “We think if we keep providing this better product, we’re going to continue experiencing gains.”