Top 10 US Egg Producers And What Sets Them Apart
- 01. Meet the 10 biggest egg producers in America
- 02. Why these 10 matter
- 03. Profile snapshot: the 10 largest egg producers
- 04. Cal-Maine Foods: the national leader
- 05. Rose Acre Farms: the long-standing family brand
- 06. Hillandale Farms: brand-heavy and widely distributed
- 07. Versova Holdings and the rise of facility-centric operators
- 08. Daybreak Foods and six more national-scale players
- 09. How these companies shape the US egg market
- 10. State clusters and production geography
Meet the 10 biggest egg producers in America
The core answer to "top 10 egg producers in the US" is a group of vertically integrated companies led by Cal-Maine Foods, followed by Rose Acre Farms, Hillandale Farms, and several other large regional operations; together they account for more than half of all US table egg production, with each firm managing tens of millions of hens across multiple states.
- Cal-Maine Foods - roughly 46.8 million hens
- Rose Acre Farms - roughly 27.6 million hens
- Hillandale Farms - roughly 20.0 million hens
- Versova Holdings LLP - roughly 19.9 million hens
- Daybreak Foods - roughly 14.5 million hens
- Michael Foods - roughly 11.9 million hens
- Center Fresh Group - roughly 11.5 million hens
- MPS Egg Farms - roughly 11.1 million hens
- Prairie Star Farms - roughly 9.3 million hens
- Gemperle Family Farms - roughly 8.6 million hens
This list derives from 2022-2025 industry tallies by poultry data aggregators focused on housed hens as a proxy for scale, which is widely treated as the standard for ranking US egg producers in trade publications such as WATT Poultry and related analyses.
Why these 10 matter
The top 10 egg producers collectively control about 52.6 percent of all US table egg output, while the top 20 firms cover more than 70 percent, meaning the market is highly concentrated and dominated by a small number of players with national-scale logistics networks and brand portfolios.
Each of these companies operates multiple laying facilities across several states, from feed mills and hatcheries to packing plants and distribution centers, which allows them to buffer against regional weather events, disease outbreaks, and feed-cost spikes-an increasingly important capability since the 2022-2023 avian influenza wave.
Profile snapshot: the 10 largest egg producers
Bellow is an illustrative-but not exact-snapshot of how these firms compare; the underlying hens-per-company figures are drawn from recent industry surveys, while revenue and market share are rounded for clarity.
| Rank | Company | Approx. hens (millions) | Role in US egg industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cal-Maine Foods | 46.8 | Z-packer and private-label leader; roughly 20% of US table eggs |
| 2 | Rose Acre Farms | 27.6 | Second-largest layer flock; strong Midwest and Southern footprint |
| 3 | Hillandale Farms | 20.0 | Third-biggest producer; heavy branded retail and foodservice presence |
| 4 | Versova Holdings LLP | 19.9 | Major facility operator; supports branded and commodity egg streams |
| 5 | Daybreak Foods | 14.5 | Mid-sized powerhouse; supplies regional grocers and wholesalers |
| 6 | Michael Foods | 11.9 | Leading egg-products processor; also owns or contracts large flocks |
| 7 | Center Fresh Group | 11.5 | Poultry-backed group; integrates layers, broilers, and feed |
| 8 | MPS Egg Farms | 11.1 | Midwest-based integrated operator; supplies chains and processors |
| 9 | Prairie Star Farms | 9.3 | Regional player with strong retailer and foodservice contracts |
| 10 | Gemperle Family Farms | 8.6 | California-focused; mixed conventional and specialty-hen operations |
In the table, "role in US egg industry" reflects not only raw hen numbers but also whether the company leans toward retail eggs, foodservice, or value-added egg products like liquid or frozen, which is a key differentiator in the current market.
Cal-Maine Foods: the national leader
Cal-Maine Foods is widely cited as the largest egg producer in the United States by both flock size and share of commercial table-egg output, with around 46.8 million hens and output estimated at roughly 13 billion eggs per year-about one-fifth of all commercially produced eggs in the country.
Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, Cal-Maine supplies major retailers and foodservice operators under its own brands and private-label contracts, particularly in the Southeast and Midwest, where its layered facilities and distribution hubs allow it to maintain tight cold-chain control.
Financial disclosures show that sudden price spikes during the 2022-2023 avian influenza outbreaks translated into record margins, with net profits reported around $876 million over a 12-month stretch ending in early 2025, underscoring how market-concentration in the US egg sector amplifies both risk and upside for the top players.
Rose Acre Farms: the long-standing family brand
Rose Acre Farms, founded in 1906 and now run across five generations, operates roughly 27.6 million hens and ranks second in overall flock size among US egg producers, with a strong presence in Indiana, Texas, and California.
Unlike some competitors that lean heavily on third-party contracts, Rose Acre maintains a substantial share of its own facilities, which has helped it manage transition costs as consumers and retailers increasingly demand cage-free and enriched-cage housing systems.
A 2023 industry report estimated that Rose Acre's pack-size portfolio spans several billion shell eggs annually, with growing shelf space in major grocery chains under its branded and regional labels, contributing to tighter margins than pure commodity-oriented producers.
Hillandale Farms: brand-heavy and widely distributed
Hillandale Farms, founded in 1958 in Pennsylvania, manages about 20 million laying hens and is best known for its branded retail cartons and private-label partnerships, which give it visibility far beyond its operational footprint.
By 2025, analysts estimated that Hillandale's branded eggs appeared in more than 12,000 retail locations nationwide, including large supermarket chains and wholesale clubs, supported by regional packing plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Georgia.
The company's strategy of blending branded retail with foodservice and industrial customers has helped it maintain steady volumes even as consumer preferences shifted toward cage-free eggs, for which it has invested heavily in facility conversions since 2020.
Versova Holdings and the rise of facility-centric operators
Versova Holdings LLP, with roughly 19.9 million hens, exemplifies a newer model of large-scale egg production: facility-heavy operations that provide housing and management capacity for branded and private-label programs rather than focusing on consumer-facing brands.
Based primarily in the Midwest and South, Versova's facilities serve multiple egg brands and processors, which allows it to spread fixed costs over diverse contracts and maintain higher capital-utilization rates than single-brand operators.
According to a 2024 industry brief, more than 80 percent of eggs produced at Versova sites are sold through other firms' labels, making it a "behind-the-brand" pillar of the national shell-egg supply chain.
Daybreak Foods and six more national-scale players
Daybreak Foods, with roughly 14.5 million hens, operates from a base in the Midwest and California, supplying regional grocery chains and wholesalers with both conventional and specialty eggs.
Michael Foods, which manages about 11.9 million hens via owned and contracted flocks, is notable for being one of the largest egg-products processors in the United States, turning shell eggs into liquid, frozen, and value-added items for industrial customers.
Center Fresh Group, with around 11.5 million hens, owns extensive integrated infrastructure across layers, broilers, and feed, while MPS Egg Farms (11.1 million hens) focuses on Midwestern operations that supply retailers and processors.
Rounding out the top-10 list are Prairie Star Farms at 9.3 million hens and Gemperle Family Farms at 8.6 million hens, each with strong regional identities and a mix of cage-free, conventional, and specialty-hen housing.
How these companies shape the US egg market
Together, the top 10 egg producers set the baseline for pricing, availability, and standards in the US egg market, especially because most of them have multi-year contracts with major retailers and foodservice distributors.
During the 2022-2023 avian influenza cycle, the concentration of hens among these top firms meant that disease-related culls and restocking decisions had an outsized impact on national egg prices, which spiked to record highs in early 2023 before gradually moderating in 2024-2025.
Industry analysts estimate that more than 70 percent of all eggs consumed in the United States originate with the top 20 US egg companies, indicating that a relatively small number of organizations determine everything from hen-housing standards to climate-related emissions and feed-sourcing strategies.
State clusters and production geography
The largest egg-producing states-including Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and California-house the majority of these top-10 firms' facilities, meaning that regional policies, weather patterns, and land-use regulations directly influence the national egg-production landscape.
Iowa, for example, has long been the #1 egg-producing state, with over 50 million hens in operation, while states such as California and Pennsylvania have driven much of the shift toward cage-free layouts due to state-level animal-welfare laws.
Because the top 10 egg producers operate across multiple states, they often act as de facto policy-shapers, lobbying for consistent standards on cage-free conversion timelines, vaccination protocols, and labor practices in the US poultry sector.
- Cal-Maine Foods - dominates the South and Southeast with the largest hen flock.
- Rose Acre Farms - long-lived Midwest and Texas-centric operator.
- Hillandale Farms - branded retail powerhouse with Eastern and Southern plants.
- Versova Holdings LLP - heavy facility operator serving multiple brands.
- Daybreak Foods - regional supplier with Midwest and California hubs.
- Michael Foods - major processor with large contracted flocks.
- Center Fresh Group - integrated poultry and egg complex.
- MPS Egg Farms - Midwestern-focused packer and supplier.
- Prairie Star Farms - regional player with diversified client base.
- Gemperle Family Farms - California-centric mixed-layout producer.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Top 10 Egg Producers In The Us
What are the top 10 egg producers in the US?
The top 10 egg producers in the United States, ranked by approximate number of laying hens, are: Cal-Maine Foods, Rose Acre Farms, Hillandale Farms, Versova Holdings LLP, Daybreak Foods, Michael Foods, Center Fresh Group, MPS Egg Farms, Prairie Star Farms, and Gemperle Family Farms.
What percentage of US eggs do the top 10 producers supply?
Recent industry surveys estimate that the top 10 egg producers account for about 52.6 percent of all US table-egg production, highlighting a highly concentrated market in which a small group of companies dominates supply.
Which company is the largest egg producer in the US?
Cal-Maine Foods is consistently cited as the largest egg producer in the United States, both by number of hens (around 46.8 million) and by share of commercially produced shell eggs, representing roughly one-fifth of national output.
How many hens do the top 10 egg companies have combined?
Adding up the most recent published flock estimates, the top 10 egg producers collectively manage approximately 180-185 million laying hens, which is nearly half of the total US commercial laying-hen flock.
Are these companies involved in cage-free egg production?
Yes; all of the top 10 egg producers have active cage-free or enriched-cage programs, with many firms committing to 100 percent cage-free or enriched-cage flocks by 2025-2030 in response to retailer and consumer demand for higher-welfare hen-housing systems.
Where are most of these egg producers located?
Most of these large egg producers are clustered in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas, with secondary hubs in California and Texas, reflecting the concentration of feed and infrastructure in those egg-producing states.
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What are the top 10 egg producers in the US?
The top 10 egg producers in the United States, ranked by approximate number of laying hens, are: Cal-Maine Foods, Rose Acre Farms, Hillandale Farms, Versova Holdings LLP, Daybreak Foods, Michael Foods, Center Fresh Group, MPS Egg Farms, Prairie Star Farms, and Gemperle Family Farms.
What percentage of US eggs do the top 10 producers supply?
Recent industry surveys estimate that the top 10 egg producers account for about 52.6 percent of all US table-egg production, highlighting a highly concentrated market in which a small group of companies dominates supply.
Which company is the largest egg producer in the US?
Cal-Maine Foods is consistently cited as the largest egg producer in the United States, both by number of hens (around 46.8 million) and by share of commercially produced shell eggs, representing roughly one-fifth of national output.
How many hens do the top 10 egg companies have combined?
Adding up the most recent published flock estimates, the top 10 egg producers collectively manage approximately 180-185 million laying hens, which is nearly half of the total US commercial laying-hen flock.
Are these companies involved in cage-free egg production?
Yes; all of the top 10 egg producers have active cage-free or enriched-cage programs, with many firms committing to 100 percent cage-free or enriched-cage flocks by 2025-2030 in response to retailer and consumer demand for higher-welfare hen-housing systems.
Where are most of these egg producers located?
Most of these large egg producers are clustered in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas, with secondary hubs in California and Texas, reflecting the concentration of feed and infrastructure in those egg-producing states.