Meet United Egg Producers Certified Farmer: Paul Sauder
Since Paul Sauder was a youngster, he’s been working on his family’s egg farm.
Today, Paul is president of Sauder Eggs. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the Lititz, Pa.-based business, from the millions of egg-laying hens to the refrigerated trucks that ship Sauder’s farm-fresh eggs to local markets.
“I’ve been on board ever since I could walk,” Paul says.
Sauder Eggs began when Paul’s grandfather, Frank Sauder, took a risk during the Depression era and went door-to-door selling vegetables, poultry and, of course eggs, from his farm. Business boomed and soon almost every member of the Sauder family was involved in what became the family business.
Paul is a third-generation egg farmer, taking over from his father, Raymond Sauder, in 1972. Much has changed since Paul started lending a hand on the farm as a little boy.
The company has expanded from the single location in Lititz to three marketing arms and five processing plants throughout Pennsylvania. While a few hundred hens provided the eggs that made Frank Sauder a success in the 1930s, more than 6 million hens on 80 farms now supply the Sauder’s signature eggs.
Technological advances also have changed the way the Sauders do business. The Sauders were the first egg producers in Pennsylvania to implement United Egg Producers Certified program. The stringent guidelines, devised by leading scientists and researchers, are endorsed by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the National Chain Restaurant Association. The rules outline how to house, feed and transport hens in accordance with set principles and guidelines.
The food-safety guidelines are not only in place to ensure the fair treatment of hens, but also to protect consumers from diseases that so often result from the improper production and packaging of agricultural food sources.
Farmer participation in the program is voluntary, but Paul says joining was an easy decision for him.
“The animal welfare program is a win-win for everyone,” Paul says. “It’s a win with the farmer out here who is producing the eggs. It’s a win for the hen that is protected by these guidelines, and it’s a win for the customer who is guaranteed to get the best product.”
The Sauder company also is focused on integrating science and technology to make egg production more environmentally friendly.
Paul continues to follow the business principles set forth by his grandfather some 70 years ago, including the adage that ‘We’ve got to do better today than we did yesterday.’
“My vision is to see that consumers are never disappointed in a dozen of eggs they buy from Sauder Eggs,” Paul says. “Our goal is to have 12 perfect eggs in every dozen, every time.”