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Egg Farming in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Jayson Cooke Jayson Cooke Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: January 2025 ANZSIC A0172

Revenue

$1.3bn

2025-26

$1.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xm

Employees

3,927

Businesses

504

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Egg Farming in Australia industry analysis

Australia's Egg Farming industry has experienced vast revenue volatility stemming from market shifts, changing consumer preferences and environmental challenges, yet has grown overall. A surge in demand for free-range eggs has led to an oversupply of cage eggs, causing price drops and revenue declines for those producers. However, with free-range eggs comprising most of the industry sales, revenue has lifted overall, climbing at an annualised rate of 3.5% over the past five years. Revenue is estimated to total $1.3 billion in 2024-25, when it will spike by 8.9%. Egg prices have risen overall, enabling farms to expand profit margins by passing costs on to customers. This has come about despite the challenges posed by both adverse weather conditions and biosecurity issues.

Trends and Insights

  • Australia's Egg Farming industry is seeing a shift towards cage-free production. With consumers recognising ethical and health benefits, sales of cage-free eggs are climbing, pushing farmers to upgrade systems despite the high costs involved.
  • Cage eggs are losing popularity as consumers prefer ethical options. Over the past few years, production and revenue from cage eggs have declined sharply because of animal welfare concerns. Farmers are adjusting practices to adopt more humane production methods.
  • Egg farms are strategically located near major cities to efficiently meet consumer demand. By situating production within 100 kilometres of capital centres, producers reduce transportation costs and ensure the timely delivery of fresh eggs to urban markets.
  • Two producers dominate Australia's Egg Farming industry, controlling most of the market. Sunny Queen Australia and Pace Farm influence pricing and supply chains through controlling interests and exclusive agreements, making it challenging for smaller producers to compete.

Access hundreds of data points and trends

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.3bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

A growing consumer preference for cage-free eggs amid health trends has pushed up industry revenue

  • Over the past decade, Australia's per capita egg consumption has risen markedly as eggs are increasingly recognised for their nutritional value. Australian Eggs reports that per capita egg consumption has risen to 266 eggs in 2023-24, up from 221 eggs in 2014-15. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, eggs have become a staple for health-conscious consumers seeking protein-packed, wholesome food options.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Egg Farming in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The mandatory cage ban by 2036 is shifting industry dynamics

  • Australia’s Egg Farming industry is undergoing a mandated transition away from conventional battery cages, with guidelines introduced in August 2022 requiring a complete phase-out by 2036. This directive compels egg farmers to replace existing cages with larger, enriched systems, or shift to alternative housing like barn-laid or free-range setups, necessitating significant capital investment and operational changes.

Biggest companies in the Egg Farming in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
526.0
372.4
62.7

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Egg Farming in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cage eggs, Free-range eggs and Barn-laid eggs. Cage eggs is the largest segment of the Egg Farming in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Ethical concerns drive increased demand for free-range eggs

  • Free-range eggs are derived from hens with regular outdoor access, limited to 10,000 birds per hectare, promoting natural foraging behaviours.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry companies farm poultry to produce eggs and hatch egg-breed chicks.

What's included in this industry?

Cage eggsFree-range eggsBarn-laid eggsOrganic eggsDuck eggsQuail eggs

Companies

Sunny Queen FarmsPace FarmFarm Pride Foods

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CAGE EGGSFREE-RANGE EGGSBARN-LAID EGGSFARMGATE PRICESGRADING

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0172 - Egg Farming in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Australia's Egg Farming industry is seeing a shift towards cage-free production. With consumers recognising ethical and health benefits, sales of cage-free eggs are climbing,...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Cage eggs are losing popularity as consumers prefer ethical options. Over the past few years, production and revenue from cage eggs have declined sharply because of animal we...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Egg farms are strategically located near major cities to efficiently meet consumer demand. By situating production within 100 kilometres of capital centres, producers reduce ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Two producers dominate Australia's Egg Farming industry, controlling most of the market. Sunny Queen Australia and Pace Farm influence pricing and supply chains through contr...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Equity firms are investing in Australia's top egg producers, accelerating the shift to cage-free production. Roc Partners acquired Pace Farm and PSP Investments purchased a s...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Sunny Queen Farms's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Pace Farm's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Farm Pride Foods's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Sunny Queen Farms, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Pace Farm, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Farm Pride Foods, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The National Information Standard introduced as part of Australian Consumer Law in 2018 sets standards for free-range egg farming. Under this standard, the maximum stocking d...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Climbing egg prices and strong consumer demand have boosted industry profitability. Over the past few years, farmers have passed variable feed costs on to consumers, allowing...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Egg Farming industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Egg Farming industry in Australia is $1.3bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Egg Farming in Australia industry in 2025?

There are 504 businesses in the Egg Farming industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Egg Farming industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Egg Farming industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 3.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Egg Farming industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Egg Farming industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Egg Farming market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Egg Farming market in Australia are Sunny Queen Farms, Pace Farm and Farm Pride Foods

What does the Egg Farming in Australia include?

Cage eggs and Free-range eggs are part of the Egg Farming industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Egg Farming in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Sunny Queen Farms.

How competitive is the Egg Farming industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Egg Farming industry in Australia.

Related Industries

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Competitors

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.