Working For The Egg Industry

For almost two decades OVOSTAR has become a leading player in the world egg arena.

Working for the egg industry globally is hardly possible without being involved in some top-ranked industry association like International Egg Commission (IEC). It is the world platform for uniting all egg players in one professional hub.

Ovostar joined the Association IEC more than 10 years ago and took active part in the networking events. As an example, this year Darya Byelikova, Head of the Export Department of Ovostar, has succeeded to join the program of Young Egg Leaders.

The aim of the Young Egg Leaders (YEL) programme is to further advance the participants understanding by providing a range of unique opportunities and mentoring from senior egg industry figures and partner organisations. Through this innovative programme, IEC aims to be able to release the full potential of the next generation of leaders, who will ultimately be responsible for carrying the egg industry forward, building a greater egg industry; and ultimately driving egg consumption globally for the benefit of all.

Darya Byelikova shared her vision about the challenges and opportunities of the Ukrainian egg industry with the network of IEC members.

What are the top business issues on your mind?

The way I see it, labor availability, trade deals and market fluctuations are currently ruling the roost in our industry. Egg production and processing could not be fully automated, therefore, it is crucial for companies to invest in human capital as the easiest way to retain trained and talented staff. It should not go unspoken, that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the level of uncertainty and risks in trading, as every country has taken a different approach to deal with it. Based on high external risks market fluctuations are unpredictable which require fast and certain management actions.

What are the key threats for the egg industry?
Diseases are among the main threats to the egg industry. Avian Influenza cases are rising in some countries, and all together, being a powerful industry, we should cooperate to find solutions how to diminish the threat. The other warning I see is that some food manufacturers are excluding eggs from their recipes and replacing them with ingredients with a more stable price. And this is happening even in spite of the fact that eggs are the main source of healthy and affordable protein.

What is the biggest untapped opportunity for the egg industry?
I believe that the value of an egg as a source of high quality low fat protein is not sufficiently popularized in many countries around the world. The egg industry proposes a fantastic product, which is healthy, irreplaceable and environmentally friendly. That is why every business working here has a responsibility to provide their consumers information about the egg nutritional value and their impact on health and well-being. As the result, it will lead to industry sustainable development and long lasting growth.