In a sweeping class action lawsuit, Birchmans Parisian, LLC has accused several major egg producers of conspiring to fix and inflate the prices of conventional shell eggs across the United States. Filed on November 14, 2025, in the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint targets Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., Rose Acre Farms, Inc., Hillandale Farms Corp., Daybreak Foods, Inc., Versova Holdings, LLC, and additional unnamed defendants. The plaintiff alleges that these companies have violated antitrust laws by engaging in a coordinated effort to manipulate egg prices during a time of crisis.
The case centers around an alleged unlawful conspiracy among the defendants—dominant players in the U.S. egg market—to artificially inflate egg prices under the guise of an avian flu outbreak and inflationary pressures. The Chicago field office of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is actively investigating these allegations. According to court documents, subpoenas have been issued to some of the largest defendants, including Cal-Maine Foods and Rose Acre Farms. The plaintiff claims that these companies exploited market conditions to reap unprecedented profits while violating Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Birchmans Parisian asserts that this is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern by these companies to manipulate egg prices. The lawsuit references a previous case where Cal-Maine and others were found liable for price-fixing in 2023. The plaintiff argues that the defendants leveraged their market dominance and control over pricing mechanisms like the Urner Barry Egg Index to maintain supra-competitive prices for conventional eggs throughout the Class Period starting January 2022.
The lawsuit seeks treble damages for overpayments made by direct purchasers due to inflated egg prices. Additionally, it demands injunctive relief to prevent further violations and restore competitive conditions in the market. Birchmans Parisian contends that absent such intervention, consumers will continue to suffer from artificially high egg prices.
Representing Birchmans Parisian are attorneys from prominent law firms experienced in antitrust litigation. The case is being overseen by Judge Seeger under Case No. 1:25-cv-14030.
Source: 326cv00138_Birchmans_Parisian_LLC_v_Cal_Maine_Foods_Inc_Complaint_Northern_District_Wisconsin.pdf
