{
  "id": 16420897,
  "title": "What’s really worth paying for in an egg?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/whats-really-worth-paying-for-in-an-egg",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-25T02:47:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/great-eggspectations-brown-free-range-omega-3-or-protein-rich-whats-really-worth-paying-for-in-an-egg/articleshow/135182001.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the egg market, buyers face a dilemma over what to pay extra for. Premium eggs can cost up to five times the price of ordinary eggs, prompting questions about what consumers are really paying for. Mumbai-based Abhiruchi Chand, whose family consumes about 60 eggs weekly, prioritizes protein in their egg choice. She once bought premium eggs from Nature's Basket but now gets free-range eggs from her neighbor, spending around ₹3,000 monthly on eggs. Costume designer Shruti Wadetiwar finds the industry's terminology confusing, as it is hard to discern the benefits of claims like orange yolks, high protein, omega-3, and vitamin D3. The rise in India's protein consciousness, increasing purchasing power, and the opportunity to turn a commodity into a brand have fueled this phenomenon. In urban markets, premium or value-added eggs make up less than 3% of the market, but their sales are growing at over 15% annually. Premium eggs can cost up to ₹30, and the high price is due to increased feed costs, changing housing systems for hens, and special feed for nutrition-rich eggs. Even the color of the eggshell and yolk can be misleading, as brown shells and orange yolks do not necessarily indicate higher nutritional value. The egg remains a wholesome, naturally packaged food, but consumers must scrutinize labels to understand what they are paying for.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}