• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, March 28, 2025

As egg prices soar across the U.S., candy brands are scrambling to take center stage in Easter celebrations -- offering everything from jellybean egg hiders to sprinkle-studded peanut butter cups.

Beauty brands are joining in as well. The Ordinary, a popular minimalist skincare company, offers cartons of eggs for $3.37 at its New York City boutiques. The initiative intends to underscore the brand's commitment to affordability.

Walmart is paying attention, too, separating eggs from this year’s Easter meal kit, which now includes ham, corn on the cob, cream cake and russet potatoes.

Depending on how creative consumers feel, those spuds may play a bigger role than usual: Parents reports that some parents are resorting to potato-dying crafts this year instead of the traditional eggs.

Brach’s, which bills itself as America’s #1 Easter jellybean brand, is thinking well outside the basket. The Ferrara Candy Co.-owned brand is offering fans in ten markets the chance to reserve an Easter egg hiding service. That way, it says, the 57% of adults who wish they could hunt for eggs along with their kids can join in the fun. One family in each market can also find a hidden golden egg, redeemable for a year’s supply of Brach’s jellybeans.

Reese’s and Cadbury, meanwhile, want to make people forget everything they know about Halloween-style “egging,” reinterpreting it as an Easter candy tradition. In a campaign starring HGTV star and DIY expert Jasmine Roth, the Hershey-owned brands are encouraging people to “egg” neighbors, friends and family with surprise treats. No space is safe, Roth says, from coworkers’ desks to neighbors’ porches, and she’s sharing tips and tricks on social media.

Eggs also play a special role in Passover meals, symbolizing rebirth and renewal.

Wholesale egg prices averaged $8.50 in February, and while they have eased since then, people are still facing sticker shock when shopping, changing behavior. The American Pet Products Assn., for example, reports that 11 millionhouseholds own backyard chickens, up 28% from 2023.