A federal jury in Illinois ordered $17.7 million in damages — an amount tripled to more than $53 million under federal law to several food manufacturing companies who had sued major egg producers over a conspiracy to limit the egg supply in the United States.
Last week, a jury ruled that egg producers engaged in practices to limit the domestic supply of eggs, artificially inflating prices during the 2000s. The jury found damages occurred between 2004 and 2008. Under federal antitrust law, the damages were automatically tripled, totaling over $53 million, though court documents indicated a confirmed amount of about $17.7 million.
The Northern District of Illinois delivered the damages verdict. Statements from the manufacturers’ attorney and one of the egg producers affirmed the total award. Brandon Fox, representing the food manufacturers, expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision, recognizing the case’s importance.
The egg suppliers, including the family company of former Chair John Rust, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Indiana, denied the claims and stated that the jury’s decision would be appealed.
The jury found that the egg suppliers exported eggs abroad to decrease the domestic supply and implemented measures like limiting the number of chickens through cage space, early slaughter, and flock reduction. A federal jury
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit included Kraft Foods Global, Inc., The Kellogg Company, General Mills, Inc., and Nestle USA, Inc. The egg suppliers implicated in the conspiracy were Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., United Egg Producers, Inc., United States Egg Marketers, Inc., and Rose Acre Farms, Inc., a southern Indiana-based company chaired by Rust.