Hawaii could receive about 1 million eggs for local food banks as part of a nationwide egg price-fixing settlement involving some of the nation’s largest egg producers, according to state Attorney General Anne Lopez.

On Monday, Lopez announced securing a settlement that includes 53 million eggs for consumers nationwide and $3.3 million from Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch. The settlement follows a multistate investigation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice that found the companies illegally coordinated for years to influence a daily price index for eggs, increasing costs for retailers and consumers.

The exact number of eggs to be distributed to Hawaii is still under review because of distribution logistics, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Hawaii could receive about 1 million eggs, which would be delivered directly to food banks serving the state.

“When companies illegally manipulate prices, Hawaii families pay the price at the checkout counter,” Lopez said in a news release. “This settlement holds these producers accountable and helps ensure that essential food items remain accessible to families and communities in Hawaii and across the nation.”

According to Lopez, the investigation found that from about June 2022 to March 2025, the egg producers secretly communicated with each other to coordinate bidding activity and influence daily egg price quotes published by Urner Barry, a benchmark pricing service widely used in egg supply contracts.

In one example cited by the Attorney General’s Office, Hickman’s CEO emailed executives at Versova and Cal-Maine in December 2022 urging them to submit “strong bids, early and often” to push prices higher. The state said all three companies then submitted dozens of bids at higher prices, leading Urner Barry to increase its price quotes.

Under the settlement, the three companies must end illegal coordination to manipulate prices, adopt compliance measures to prevent future violations and cooperate with oversight by the states. The companies must also designate antitrust compliance officers to monitor for violations of the settlement and report violations to the states and the Justice Department.

The donated eggs will be provided at the companies’ expense to food banks and nonprofit organizations across participating states and must meet food safety and regulatory standards, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin joined Lopez and the Justice Department in securing the settlement.