2025 Memorable Moments
President's Blog
President, Burnbrae Farms
4th Generation Farmer
As I reflect on 2025 and look ahead, I couldn’t be prouder of the incredible dedication shown by everyone at Burnbrae Farms. Their hard work ensures we continue supporting our customers and keep eggs moving across this great country. For generations, my family and the Burnbrae Farms team have been committed to one shared pledge: to nourish Canadians with nutritious, high-quality and affordable eggs. That promise remains as strong as ever.
Giving back has always been at the heart of our values and culture, both as a family and as a business. This year, we proudly donated over 1 million eggs and egg products to charitable organizations across the country, including school breakfast programs, food banks, and food rescue initiatives. Beyond this, we continue to support a range of impactful charities, such as World Vision Canada, Parkinson’s SuperWalk, Kids Help Phone, Swim Drink Fish, Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Children’s Breakfast Club, Toonies for Tummies, and many other meaningful organizations and initiatives in our local communities.
It’s always rewarding when our efforts are recognized, and 2025 was a notable year for us on the awards front. We’re both humbled and proud of the accolades we’ve received, and as we step into 2026, I’d like to take a moment to highlight some of these achievements.
The year kicked off with back-to-back wins for our innovative TERRABRAE Garden & Lawn Eggshell Soil Enhancer. It was voted Best New Product in the Soil Care category by Best New Product Awards and named Product of the Year in the Sustainable Product category by Product of the Year Canada . Made from finely ground Burnbrae eggshells, TERRABRAE is great for lawns, garden beds, and indoor plants, promoting stronger, healthier growth. Our Naturegg Solar Free Range and Omega Plus Solar Free Range eggs also earned the title of Product of the Year in the Egg Product category by Product of the Year Canada . These eggs come from hens that live in open concept barns that rely on solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity as a primary source of power. The Omega Plus eggs also provide an additional source of Omega-3 fatty acids and lutein that support heart and eye health.
In February, Ian McFall, Executive Vice President, Foodservice, Industrial Sales & Government Relations, was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal (having been nominated by the YMCA of Eastern Ontario ) for the remarkable impact he has made through his dedicated volunteerism and leadership in community service. He served as co-chair of the YMCA Annual Campaign from 2010 to 2019, during which time he played a key role in engaging donors and driving the campaign’s success. In addition to fundraising, Ian has been an advocate for the YMCA in the community.
This spring, we proudly released our 2024 Sustainability Report, Eggs for Life®! This report reflects the progress we’ve made and the work still ahead in reducing our environmental footprint, promoting responsible sourcing, and supporting the communities where we live and work. From practical steps in waste reduction to our commitment to animal welfare, we’re focused on meaningful, measurable improvements. As a Canadian company with almost 135 years of history, our goal remains clear: to provide safe, nutritious, and affordable eggs to Canadians, one egg at a time. We invite you to EGGsplore the full report .
In May, we were honoured to once again be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the 14 th year in a row, and a Platinum Club member for the 8 th year. Established in 1993, this prestigious program is Canada’s leading business awards initiative, celebrating excellence among Canadian-owned companies.
In addition to this recognition, we were egg-cited to celebrate a triple win at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards in June! Our innovative TERRABRAE Eggshell Soil Enhancer took home two more awards this year, along with our convenient EGGS2go! Free Run Hard Boiled Eggs, both recognized for excellence. TERRABRAE won in the General Merchandise category and received a Special Award for Innovation and Originality. EGGS2go! Free Run snack pack won in the Fresh & Refrigerated Prepared Foods & Entrées category. These ready-to-eat hard boiled eggs deliver the quality and taste of Burnbrae eggs in a convenient format—perfect for busy Canadians on the go.
Also in June, Craig Hunter, former Vice President of Grading and Poultry Operations at Burnbrae Farms, was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association for his outstanding contributions to Ontario’s agricultural sector. Throughout his career, he championed the advancement, viability, and stability of Ontario’s egg industry, while fostering collaboration and driving innovation across the sector. We’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved honour—congratulations, Craig!
In the summer, we celebrated our fourth annual Burnbrae Farms Employee Appreciation Day on the birthday of Burnbrae’s co-founder, my father, Joe Hudson. Thank you once again to all Burnbrae Farms employees across the country for the enthusiasm and commitment you bring to work every day. Thank you for doing your bit, and for supporting each other, your communities, and Canadian families. I look forward to continuing this celebration for years to come.
Speaking of Summer, I’m egg-cited to cheer on the Canada Men’s Soccer team at the 2026 World Cup being hosted by Canada, along with the US and Mexico. In late 2024, we announced our partnership with Canada Soccer , CPL Soccer , and the TELUS Canadian Championship as the official Egg Partner! This partnership, which runs through 2027, will see our organizations work together to enhance the lives of Canadian families by giving back to local communities through grassroots soccer programming and initiatives nationwide.
This fall, I had the privilege of attending Canadian Grocer's Star Women in Grocery ceremony, which honours women who have demonstrated exceptional expertise, vision, and leadership in the Canadian grocery industry. It was a moment of pride to celebrate the remarkable achievements of all the award recipients, including France Lacasse, Senior Director of Research & Development at Burnbrae Farms. I am beyond proud of France for this well-deserved recognition. She joins me (2013 winner), Sonya Fiorini (2023 winner) and Sue Hudson (2024 winner) as a Burnbrae Star Woman in Grocery, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! Congratulations, France!
Speaking of inspiring women, I’m extremely proud that Burnbrae Farms is certified as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) . Canadian businesses that are at least 51 per cent owned and managed by women are eligible to be WBE Canada certified. Generations of the Hudson family have been inspired by influential matriarchal women who were well educated, community minded, and strong role models. The 4th generation of the Hudson family is proud to carry on their legacy and are honoured to be accredited by WBE Canada.
On another high note, we’re proud to share that Burnbrae Farms was named a Canadian Grocer Impact Award winner in the Sustainability Category as well as, proud recipients of Family Enterprise Canada ’s 2025 Impact and Sustainability Award! From launching our innovative Terrabrae soil enhancer—made from repurposed eggshells—to recycling over 1.3 megatons of Personal Protective Equipment at our Winnipeg facility, we’re proud of the strides we’ve made in waste diversion and environmental stewardship. With a 91% waste diversion rate by the end of 2024, we strive to divert waste even further year over year.
Furthermore, Burnbrae Farms is very proud to be selected once again, for the seventh year in a row, as the #1 Most Trusted Egg Brand in Canada! The BrandSpark Most Trusted Award (BMTA) offers insight into which companies Canadian consumers trust the most across various categories.
Our journey and commitment to transitioning our hens from conventional housing continues. In 2024, we built a free run barn in Quebec with two more completed in 2025. The same year, we constructed a free run barn in Manitoba, now this farm proudly houses 3 free run barns and a free run pullet barn (start build in 2023). Construction commenced on an organic free range farm in Ontario that will include one pullet barn and three layer barns. The pullet barn was finished in 2025 and the three layer barns are planned to be completed over the next two years. We, along with all Canadian egg farmers, are on pace to achieve the transition commitment goal by 2036 . This past August, we announced plans to break ground on a new state-of-the-art egg grading facility in Strathroy, Ontario. This project marks a meaningful milestone in our company’s growing presence and decades-long connection to the Strathroy-Caradoc community.
Before I sign off, I’m incredibly proud to share that our dad and Burnbrae Farms co-founder, Joe Hudson was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame on November 8 th at the Government House in Victoria, B.C., recognizing his extraordinary contribution to Canadian agri-business and the egg industry. Joe Hudson had a transformational impact on Canada’s egg sector when he introduced layer hens to his family farm as a teenager and transitioned into egg production with his brother Grant, growing Burnbrae Farms to national reach and international acclaim. A true trailblazer, Joe approached Canada’s egg industry in an entirely new and different way. He was instrumental in helping to shape the industry as we know it today, and his commitment had a positive effect on the broader agricultural industry and in communities from coast to coast to coast, ensuring a safe affordable supply of high quality egg protein for Canadian families for decades. From humble beginnings and a few chickens, Joe Hudson built Burnbrae Farms into a leading pillar of Canadian agribusiness and a household name that continues to thrive with the next generation, thanks to the legacy he established. Special thank you to Egg Farmers of Canada / Les Producteurs d’œufs du Canada for his nomination and congratulations to the other five inductees for their amazing contributions.
I’d like to sign off by saying that we are so grateful to the various organizations and companies that have honoured us with these awards and those that have worked with us to ensure Canadians continue to have access to nutritious, high-quality and affordable eggs. We are also immensely proud of our teams across the country that work tirelessly to support the values that are so important to each of us.
Margaret Hudson
President & CEO, Burnbrae Farms