Strong demand for protein and status as an economical alternative to beef bodes well for chicken and egg demand in 2026, according to recent analysis from Farm Credit Canada.
For example, before 2021 ground beef was about $1.00 per pound cheaper than chicken breast, wrote FCC senior economist Graeme Crosbie in a Feb. 11 report. Since mid-2024, the price of ground beef has caught and even surpassed the price of chicken breast in some months.
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Chicken prices at retail, farm gate
This rise in beef prices has pushed consumers toward other meats, like chicken and pork. Since 2022, pork prices have risen by more than 13 per cent, chicken prices by almost 22 per cent, and beef prices by nearly 38 per cent, FCC reported on Jan. 28.
Additional demand for chicken has led to higher prices. Fresh or frozen chicken prices rose by an average of 6.7 per cent in the final three months of 2025, FCC said. January to September, they rose 0.9 per cent on average per month.
The rise has been largely independent of farm gate prices in the latter half of the year.
FCC predicted that farm gate prices for chicken will be flat to lower in 2026 as feed costs are expected to remain low.
“Margins will remain positive given strong demand and aforementioned low feed costs,” Crosbie wrote.
Crosbie noted that there’s some concern that avian influenza will hamper producers’ ability to fill demand — particularly in B.C. However, 5.6 per cent more more chicks were placed for broiler production in the latter half of 2025 than in the same period in 2024.
“Assuming avian flu outbreaks are well controlled, this bodes well for production numbers in the first part of 2026,” Crosbie wrote.
Imports of chicken under the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) and Trans-Pacific (CPTPP) trade agreements reached nearly 100 per cent of tariff-rate quotas for the first time in 2025.
Egg demand, production up
Eggs are also benefiting from demand for economical protein.
While egg consumption per capita has been on the rise since the 90s, there was a “significant jump” in the second half of 2025, said Crosbie.
Specifically, the number of eggs available for consumption rose to 5.54 dozen per person in the third quarter of 2025 from 5.00 dozen per person in the same quarter of 2024.
This “indicates a large increase in production amid slowing population growth,” Crosbie said.
Two opposing forces appear to be in play, Crosbie wrote. There appear to be plenty of eggs available, while there’s only anecdotal evidence of the impacts over the winter of avian influenza on laying flocks.
“Quota allocation may be slowed or altered to begin the year if no significant production capacity was lost,” Crosbie wrote.
“Regardless, the longer-term outlook for egg consumption and production continues to be positive.”
