Cal-Maine Foods has acquired feed mill company Deal-Rite Feeds, Inc.
The acquisition includes two feed mills, storage facilities, usable grain, vehicles, equipment and its retail feed sales business located in Statesville and Union Grove, North Carolina.
On the purchase, Sherman Miller, Cal-Maine Foods President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “We are pleased to have the opportunity to acquire these feed mills and operations, which are strategically located in close proximity to our North Carolina shell egg production facilities. As we continue to expand contract production in this area, we also look for ways to effectively manage our production costs and drive efficiencies.”
He continued: “Feed is a primary cost component in the production of shell eggs, and the quality and composition of feed are critical factors related to the health of our hens and the nutritional value of shell eggs. With the addition of these feed mill operations in North Carolina, we can formulate, produce and deliver feed at a lower cost with shorter travel required to reach the respective farms.”
Cal-Maine Foods is largest producer of shell eggs in the U.S. with 50.61 million layers, according to WATT Global Media’s 2025 Top Egg Company Survey.
Cal-Maine is expanding its cage-free egg production
In October 2024, the egg producer announced it would be growing its cage-free egg operations with the addition of five new cage-free layer houses in Florida, Georgia, Utah and Texas.
The US$40 million expansion will mainly replace recently retired caged facilities, with the renovations expected to be completed in summer 2025. The additions will also grow Cal-Maine’s production capacity by approximately one million layers.
Alongside the expansion, Cal-Maine said it was working with its local contract growers to increase its free-range layers by approximately 1.2 million birds by fall 2025.
