{image1}John Brunquell hatched a great idea when he took over his family's Port Washington farm in 1987. First he unveiled "cholesterol monitored" eggs. Then he branched out into organic eggs from free-range, cage-free, vegetarian chickens. Quite a shift from what his ancestors launched in 1917. However, it's been well-received by health-conscious consumers and persons concerned with animal welfare.
Egg Innovations, of Port Washington, was the country's first company to be certified with a Free Farmed label from the American Humane Association. Today Brunquell serves as its president. He keeps an office on the homestead his family has maintained for nearly a century. Last year all of the company's eggs were certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Flash back to 1985. Brunquell just earned a bachelor's degree from the UW-Madison. Agricultural careers at that time were less innovative than they are now. Yet he wanted to enter that career field.
"In the mid-'80s you had two choices -- a factory farm or value-added or specialty eggs, which was just in its infancy." Brunquell took the less-traveled, non-traditional route, which has ironically garnered him more profits because it's a niche market.
None of the free-roaming hens -- which means they do not spend their lives in a cage -- are fed hormones, antibiotics or animal byproducts. Instead they are put on a corn and soybean diet. Thirty-five employees work at a processing facility in Indiana. Most production is done at Amish and Mennonite farms in Indiana and Ohio.
"All of our birds are free to socialize with their peers," says Brunquell. "In a caged environment there might be three to four birds in a cage and that's all the interaction they get their whole lifetime."
"We produce nothing in cages. We believe consumers have a choice."
Locally the eggs, which have distinct brown shells and contain Omega-3 fatty acids, are sold at Piggly Wiggly, Sendik's Food Market, Outpost Exchange, Grasch's Food, Sentry, Pick N Save and Jewel stores. They are also distributed in 35 other states.
Do they taste any better? You bet.
"They taste a lot fresher. It's 'old world,' the way eggs used to taste," says Brunquell.
Information about Egg Innovations is published on its Web site at www.egginnovations.com.
