Egg-onomics: How Pete & Gerry’s Built a Supply Chain Rooted in Hen Welfare

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On today's episode, we sit down with Cameron Whitehead, the Chief Operating Officer at Pete and Gerry's, a table egg producer known for its focus on pasture-raised birds, animal welfare, and strong relationships with family farms. The discussion centers around the inflation-driven surge in egg prices, a topic frequently mentioned in consumer discussions but rarely addressed by industry insiders. Cameron shares insights from his unique career path—from corporate law to egg production—and provides an in-depth look at the historical development and current operations of Pete and Gerry's. He elaborates on the different types of egg production, including cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised, explaining what each label means for consumers. The conversation also delves into supply chain dynamics, disease management, and new organic initiatives. Cameron stresses the importance of consumer education, highlights ongoing inflationary pressures, and discusses the potential future of biosecurity and vaccination programs in the egg industry.Guest Quote:“And on the farm side, better disease management comes into record keeping and data, right? It really does. That's where our focus is, we want to address disease as early as possible for the hens and for the productivity that our family farmers rely on. So we do tracing on our farms of productivity rates of water consumption, feed consumption, temperatures, et cetera.” - Cameron WhiteheadTimestamps:* (00:59) A First-Generation “Egg Guy”* (02:23) Pete & Gerry’s History* (04:18) Which Egg Will They Choose?* (07:32) An Egg’s Journey Home* (13:43) Inflation’s Real Story* (18:42) Avian Influenza*(22:12) Protecting Barns*(26:30) Is Vaccination the Future?*(33:29) Protein by the Pound*(37:53) New Organic Guidelines*(45:11) “Wingin’ It”Today's episode is brought to you by Ancera, the company that gives poultry companies a birds eye view into their operations. Find out how Ancera is replacing opinions with objectivity at www.ancera.com.Links:Follow Cameron on LinkedinVisit PeteAndGe