Consumer expectations around responsibly raised food products are higher than ever. Meeting this growing demand, CMC Food LLC has adapted its 35-year egg business to bring healthy and high-quality specialty egg products to the Northeast market. Through its private-label brand called The Farmer’s Hen, the family-owned and operated company specializes in the sale and marketing of certified humane, free range, pastured and USDA Certified Organic eggs and egg products, including hard cooked peeled and shell-on varieties.

Unlike generic mass-produced eggs, The Farmer’s Hen products are produced by vegetarian-fed hens, free from the use of antibiotics or hormones, according to company CEO Michael Culley. The company’s state-of-the-art 104,000-square-foot warehouse facility is located at 699 Kapkowski Road in Elizabeth.

“Our organic eggs start from raising day-old baby chicks that are raised free-range, and fed a vegetarian-based, organic non-GMO diet comprised primarily of corn and soybeans. The food is grown without pesticides in organic fields,” he said. “Raising chicks on organic grains ultimately produces a USDA-certified organic egg product. Along with following these procedures, stringent processes are followed at our facility when cleaning, washing and packaging eggs to prepare them for market. All of these steps are very closely monitored by third-party inspectors.”

The Farmer’s Hen free-range eggs are produced by hens that are Certified Humane Raised and Handled and given a conventionally grown vegetarian-fed diet that’s also high in quality. Hens are free to roam in and outside of barns, with the ability to nest, perch and dust-bathe. At a more affordable price point, The Farmer’s Hen’s free-range eggs are produced in the same fashion using a non-organic feed; these eggs come from hens that have access to a natural outdoor setting. Meanwhile pasture-raised eggs are produced by hens free to roam for at least six hours daily, with each hen getting 108 square feet of pasture covered with vegetation.

“We have dedicated our entire business model to being environmentally and humanely responsible, particularly as it relates to the ethical treatment of animals. None of the hens that produce our eggs are caged,” said Culley, adding that CMC Food LLC works in conjunction with about 70 small family-run farms.

“A typical farm we work with has about 20,000 hens, as opposed to a commercial caged operation that can have upward of 2 million hens in one location. When partnering with a farm we look for a higher level of care as well as humane treatment of animals. Each farm is individually certified and monitored. Our organic farmers follow a regimen of providing healthy, chemical-free soil to create high-yield crops for our hens.”

CMC Food LLC distributes The Farmer’s Hen products to more than 1,200 major retailers and wholesalers spanning the East Coast from Maine to South Carolina. Local consumers also can purchase the company’s farm fresh shell eggs directly from its Elizabeth warehouse; the “cash and carry” program is available daily.

The health benefits of The Farmer’s Hen products are undeniable. Eggs are a tremendous source of inexpensive, high-quality protein. The egg’s yolk contains more than 90 percent of its calcium and iron, while the white contains half its protein.

Eggs are rich sources of selenium; vitamins A, D, E, B5, B2, B6 and B12; and minerals such as zinc and folate. Additionally, eggs boast a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to heart health and contain the vitamins lutein and zeaxanthin that both contribute to skin and eye health.

For Culley, the specialty egg business is not just a passion, but a family affair. He represents the second-generation of family leadership, following in the footsteps of his father, Charlie Culley, who founded CMC Food LLC in 1984. Michael Culley began working for his father in 1991 and proud to continue his father’s legacy.

Today there are several second-generation — and now even third-generation — family members involved in the business in varying capacities. We have about 85 employees and we treat everyone that works for us like family.

Together, we are committed to giving consumers peace of mind when choosing the healthiest eggs for their families.”