MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The owner of Danver’s in Midtown said thanks to an outbreak of Avian Flu in the Midwest, his egg budget has doubled.
“It probably cost me about $1,250 a week. Due to the increase in the price of eggs,” John Golon said.
Danver’s has four other locations in the Memphis area.
“We go through probably 25 dozen boiled eggs per day at the salad bar at each location. If you think about that, that’s 300 eggs,” he said.
Add a few hundred more during breakfast hours, and you can see why Golon was not a happy camper.
Millions of egg-laying hens have been destroyed in several Midwestern states after the virus was detected, which means an egg shortage that could last for 18 months.
Officials with the Shelby County Health Department said there was no reason to think the Avian Flu will show up in our area.
“If you were a poultry worker and you were in close proximity, you theoretically could get it. But we don’t have any commercial-laying flocks or big poultry farms here in Shelby County. So we don’t really have any Shelby County folks that are being exposed right now,” David Sweat said.
Sweat said health officials are always concerned when a major flu virus outbreak occurs in such a large number of animals.
He said humans are more likely to feel sick over increased prices.
“There’s no risk if you eat chicken, eggs or if you eat chicken in restaurant,” Sweat said. “There’s no risk you’re going to get sick. But it may become a more expensive meal.”