The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 outbreak that decimated the egg industry from December 2014 through June 2015 continues to impact supply-chain decisions related to egg product and potential substitutes, particularly in the bakery industry.
As noted in “Avian influenza 2015: an industry update,” the outbreak—the worst of its kind in U.S. history—left more than 48 million affected birds in its wake. Egg producers are busy cleaning and subsequently repopulating farms.