Bhopal: At first light, a synchronised wave of 6,000 beaks pokes through metal bars at Aditya Gupta’s poultry farm in Eint Khedi village, 20 minutes from Bhopal airport. Their breakfast glides along a curved metal tray running the length of the cage rows, stacked neatly in military-like tiers. It isn’t just corn or grain but a mix that could stock an Ayurvedic kitchen—tulsi, turmeric, ashwagandha, oregano, parsley, thyme, spirulina, basil, sage, mint.
Gupta says it’s what makes his birds lay “herbal eggs”, the latest entrant in India’s growing health-food obsession.
“We use over 250 different herbs. But don’t ask me to list the lesser-known herbs, it’s a trade secret,” he said. Not just that, the feed is patented.
Chickens are being put on vegetarian, herb-fed diets, in the hopes of their laying eggs that promise less of an eggy smell, smoother taste, and a nutrient boost — more “good” cholesterol, higher protein, extra vitamin D, a dash of omega-3. Free-range, corn-fed, and organic are yesterday’s labels; the new frontier is ‘value-added’ and herbal eggs.
New brands pop up regularly on Amazon, BigBasket, and Instamart. Eggoz, which more than doubled its revenue in one year to Rs 130 crore in 2025, sells “herbal-fed” selenium-fortified eggs. Henfruit feeds its hens neem, tulsi, and turmeric. Eggnest has its “Herbal Promax” line. Other brands like Abhi Eggs and Good Eggs, meanwhile, boast fortifications with various nutrients.
Compared to regular eggs that sell for Rs 6 apiece, value-added ones retail around Rs 9 and can go up to Rs 16. The appeal isn’t limited to health-conscious buyers; even some with egg allergies or sensitivities report better tolerance.
“Feeding birds herbal supplements definitely changes the nutrient profile of eggs,” explained Hyderabad-based nutritionist Nida Fatima Hazari.
“Many large trials have not been conducted, but a reasonable amount of research does show that herbal eggs can boost immunity and help reduce cholesterol levels. Scientific studies also suggest that they support a favourable lipid profile.”
The market share of ‘value-added eggs’ is still tiny—only 0.1 per cent, according to Sanjeev Chintawar, assistant general manager (Business Development) at the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), the cooperative body that sets benchmark prices for eggs across the country. But, as he acknowledged, it’s still a segment in its own right. Herbal eggs are slowly inching onto breakfast tables next to sourdough and brown rice as consumers grow fussier about what feeds their food.
And it’s not just a metro fad. Gupta’s own brand, Eggs & Eggs, sells only in Bhopal currently, relying mostly on word-of-mouth and a modest Instagram page that preaches the health gospel of herbal eggs.
One convert is Bhopal resident Dr Shailendra Singh Rana, a former Army officer. Two weeks of steroid-heavy treatment, in August 2022, for meningitis left him 25 kilos lighter, red patches across his skin, and energy levels at rock bottom. Doctors gave him a recovery timeline of at least two years, but he claims he was able to bounce back in six months because of the new and improved eggs he ate.
“Herbal eggs from Aditya Poultry Farm were a life-saver,” said the 43-year-old, who’d spent his whole life avoiding eggs since he hated the smell. “I started to eat them daily. Boiled eggs for breakfast, omelette for lunch, and egg curry for dinner, every single day. That was my secret of recovery.” He might skip a meal, but never the herbal eggs.
Source: theprint.in
