By Lori Perkins
When New York State’s Attorney General Letitia James discovered that Hillandale Farms, one the largest egg producers in the region, had gouged NYers on egg prices during the pandemic, she not only sued them going public with the charge that they profited an extra $4 million in two months during the pandemic, but she also made them donate eggs to food banks.
Right before Easter, AG James announced that as part of the settlement of the suit, Hillandale will donate 100,000 cartons of eggs — or 1.2 million eggs — to New York State food banks. The company also agreed not to price gouge again, James added.
“In less than two months, Hillandale made millions by cheating our most vulnerable communities and our servicemembers, actions that are both unlawful and truly rotten," the attorney general said in a statement. "As this pandemic ravaged our country, Hillandale exploited hardworking New Yorkers to line its own pockets."
The attorney general's office cited multiple examples, including one grocery chain that was being charged as little as 59 cents a dozen in January -- and by the height of the pandemic was being charged $2.93 a dozen.
James also called out alleged gouging for military commissaries, noting that Hillandale charged West Point 84 cents a carton in January and $3.15 a carton by April. Commissaries at Fort Hamilton and Fort Drum were also impacted, the attorney general said.