More than 1 million eggs will be distributed to food banks across Hawaiʻi beginning this month in connection with a federal antitrust case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general claiming an Arizona-based farm colluded with other farms to fix prices.
Arizona-based Hickman’s Family Farms is sending 90,000 dozen eggs to Hawaiʻi that will be distributed to The Food Basket on the Big Island, Hawaiʻi Foodbank-Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Foodbank on Oʻahu and the Mauʻi Food Bank.
Deliveries are scheduled over nine weeks beginning this week. Hawaiʻi Foodbank-Kauaʻi will receive five pallets, or 4,500 dozen eggs.
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the participating states filed a civil lawsuit in June alleging that Hickman’s Family Farms and other egg producers coordinated to manipulate a widely used egg-price benchmark, contributing to higher prices for retailers and consumers.
Proposed settlements were filed at the same time to resolve the government’s claims and prevent similar conduct in the future.
Hickman’s Family Farms agreed to a $1 million fine and a 3.25 million egg donation to the states in the lawsuit.
“Families across Hawaiʻi continue to feel the strain of high food prices,” Attorney General Anne Lopez said. “It is especially concerning when companies increase prices through coordinated actions and conduct that further increase food prices.”
The eggs come at a time when food insecurity remains widespread across Hawaiʻi.
According to The State of Food Insecurity in Hawaiʻi 2024–2025, 32 percent of Hawaiʻi households experienced food insecurity, including 21 percent that experienced very low food security, meaning household members went hungry, skipped meals or went whole days without eating because they could not afford enough food.
“This is an extraordinary amount of fresh, nutritious food that will reach families throughout our state,” said Amy Miller, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Foodbank, in a news release.
