Vital Farms announces it will soon begin installing new production equipment at Egg Central Station (ECS), Vital Farms’ egg washing and packing facility in Springfield, Missouri.

To meet increasing demand for shell eggs, the company will install an additional MOBA egg grading system, the primary automation technology used in washing, sorting and packing shell eggs. Once construction is complete, ECS expects to see a capacity increase of 30%. Installation of the new MOBA system is expected to begin in the first quarter 2025 and aims to be fully operational by the end of the year.

Vital Farms also reports it has surpassed 425 family farms in its network, adding more than 125 farms in 2024 and expanding egg sourcing capacity by more than 40%.

“With the continued strong demand for our eggs, these investments in our robust and resilient supply chain are critical to our mission of bringing ethical food to the table,” says Russell Diez-Canseco, Vital Farms’ president and CEO. “We have positive momentum going into 2025 to deliver another year of strong growth. Our consistent focus on our farm network and ECS operations positions us well to continue meeting the strong consumer demand for our products and help ensure more consumers can find Vital Farms eggs and butter on the shelves at their local grocery stores.”

Last year, Vital Farms revealed plans for a second egg washing and packing facility in Seymour, Indiana. This new facility, which the company anticipates will break ground in mid-2025, is designed to generate more than $350 million in additional revenue capacity for the brand once fully operational in early 2027.

Vital Farms has expanded its leadership team in Springfield with Mike O’Brien, who has joined as director of plant operations. A native Missourian, O’Brien joins Vital Farms from Herman Miller, where he led operations and manufacturing transformation. In his new role, O’Brien will oversee day-to-day production and supply chain operations at Egg Central Station.