Encouraging people to buy eggs from humanely-raised chickens

[Windy Ridge]

Of course, if people are buying from me, they're buying eggs from TRUE free-range, pasture raised hens. We won't always have extra eggs to sell, though, so I want to encourage people to buy eggs from humanely-raised hens at the grocery store, too... as well as to buy eggs packed in products that can be recycled.

Here's what I've come up with:

All prices are per half-dozen

Pullet eggs (may vary in size):
$1 flat. No adjustments.

Chicken eggs (larger and more uniform size):
$1.50

Use your own egg container
Free-range or cage-free container: -$0.25 per half dozen chicken eggs -----$1.25
Free-range/cage-free plus organic: -$0.50 per half dozen chicken eggs -----$1.00
Pasture raised: -$0.50 per half dozen chicken eggs --------------------------------$1.00
Styrofoam container: +$0.50 per half dozen chicken eggs -----------------------$2.00
(In other words, don't buy styrofoam.)

Eggs may not be available at all times; place your order and we'll put you on our list.



Opinions?

 

[silkiechicken]

Looks good but the + anything for Styrofoam may be pushing it. Might want to leave that one out even if you are against styrofoam. Just mention it casually how paper is better.

 

[ORChick]

I'm not sure I understand, where are you thinking of putting this list? And I agree about the styrofoam - there's a good chance of antagonizing people with that, and also, IMO, anyone who's even looking at free range/cage free/organic eggs probably already feels the same way about styrofoam as you.

 

[Windy Ridge]

Well, thanks for your input. My object is not to sell the most eggs that I possibly can; my object is simply to encourage people to think about some of the issues... and to give them a reward for right choices. I already have more demand than supply. If I was concerned about making money, I'd raise my prices.

I can't even imagine why anyone would be "antagonized" by the styrofoam pricing. They don't have to buy my eggs; if they choose to anyway, they can simply use the containers I provide rather than providing their own to avoid the surcharge. Seems simple. But they may think: "Durnit, I could have saved a quarter if I had a carton with a free-range label on it!" That's what I'm aiming for.

If they like the taste of real, farm eggs, maybe the next time they go to buy eggs in a grocery store, they'll make a decision to buy eggs in plastic or paper cartons. Or maybe they'll buy free-range eggs. Maybe they won't. In that case, they'll be paying a little more to support a pasture-fed, REAL free range operation when they purchase from me.

Obviously, free range commercial hens still have a crowded, warehouse-like environment, but I think it's important to encourage people to buy products that support humane practices--at least as humane as the choices they're presented with allow. If producers understand that people are willing to pay a premium for humane treatment in the production process, hopefully it will be easier for the government to finally come around and support humane production, too.

 

[BlueMoon]

A NorthEast supermarket chain, Hannafords, sells their organicall fed, naturally raised, cage free eggs for $4.59/dozen, $2.99 for a half. Check out the markets before setting your prices.

No styrofoam please! Good for you!

 

[dbjay417]

just dont offer styrofoam cartons at all. Try to find a resource for the cardboard ones. I still see them occasionally at the supermarket.

 

[Windy Ridge]

I don't offer styrofoam.

 

[LindaN]

I don't sell eggs at all, but I scrounge around from friends and family for egg cartons for storage (and so I can return them full of eggs to these folks!).

I do have some styrofoam containers I got from my mom that I'm using now. I'm not sure where she got them...probably from another person she occasionally gets eggs from.

I prefer cardboard, too. But, I also think it's important that these styrofoam containers are being reused and not added to a landfill or adding toxic chems to the air through incineration.

Your values are your values, of course. Mine include all 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), as well as sharing your bias towards humanely raised chicken products.

 

[hooligan]

I haven't gotten an egg all winter so if Lucas wants eggs (I'm allergic to them) we always buy the organic free range ones.
I applaud your efforts for trying to get ppl to buy TRUE free range