Many menu items at Copper Country Sweets will be affected by the cost of eggs. When resorting to liquid eggs, the inability to separate the yolks from the whites impact many dessert items. (Picture courtesy of Copper Country Sweets)

HOUGHTON — With a month and a couple weeks since Michigan’s Cage Free Egg Law came into effect, egg stocks in stores still ebb and, as of yet, have not returned to their previously full supply. Additionally, the price and availability of eggs has also been impacted by bird flu which has affected chickens across the country. The combination has led to the cost and availability of eggs impacting Copper Country’s businesses and customers.

Bird flu is affecting poultry on a global scale, and two-thirds of the total increase in food costs being attributed to egg prices related to the bird flu according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting egg prices will likely go up 20 percent this year.

Some of the businesses that have been affected include Roy’s Pasties & Bakery, The Copper Range Depot and Copper Country Sweets. Trisia Narhi, owner of both Roy’s and Copper Range Depot shared that the increased egg prices have affected profits since she has yet to raise the prices on her menus. Supply was difficult to come by in the beginning of the year, and it has not necessarily gotten better.

Narhi said before she was paying $52 for 15 dozen eggs, but now she is paying $118 for the same amount.

The impact of the price increases are especially felt for Copper Range Depot weekends, where the restaurant will serve 2,500 eggs. Narhi said that it has become hard for everyone in the community with eggs being a staple food item and prices being inflated for such a period of time. She explained that it hurts more with the other two added factors contributing to the price increase.

“The laws that instituted the cage free only sales did not have the state ready for it and that is the issue,” Narhi said. “When bird flu is added to it that makes it worse when half of the selection is gone.”

Copper Country Sweets’ owner Erin Turner too has been effected and says that once the egg stock runs out that adjustments will need to be made. She was paying anywhere from $40 to $60 for 15 dozen eggs before the law and bird flu took hold, and is now paying $128.

Turner’s egg supplier informed her that it will take anywhere from nine to 12 months to raise a stock of chickens that will be healthy and dependable enough to lessen the impact of the shortage.

While Turner said her near constant changing menu allows flexibility, she will eventually have to cease making certain dishes.

This is because she may have to resort to buying frozen liquid eggs to avoid spending too much. She will then lose the ability to craft dishes that require the separation of egg whites and yolks.

An example of a dish that will be impacted by the inability to separate eggs is her raspberry tarts, which require egg whites for the meringue topping. Even one of Turner’s more popular dishes, lemon tarts, will be impacted because they require egg yolks.

Turner believes some price increases may be on their way and hopes that customers will understand.

“I have a really good community that comes to my bakery,” she said. “I think customers will be pretty understanding since I run this business by myself. I’m not trying to charge anyone too highly.”

Turner said she hopes that potential price increases won’t need to last, but she said she and other businesses owners will need to do what is needed to help their businesses survive.