SAN ANTONIO — Cracking a cascarón over someone’s head is a cherished Fiesta and Easter tradition but with egg prices climbing, will San Antonians have to crack open their wallets too?
Egg prices have doubled in parts of Texas, with some grocery stores struggling to keep them in stock. That’s putting pressure on vendors who rely on affordable eggs to produce thousands of cascarones for the Spring festivities.
Luis Pineda, COO of Fiesta North Star, says their supply chain has shielded them from rising costs so far.
“We manufacture our eggs ourselves in Mexico and import them. So far, we haven’t really been affected by rising prices, but tariffs could change that,” Pineda said.
But for those relying on local eggs, the impact is already being felt. Some San Antonians are even considering raising their own chickens to cut costs.
Bill Estes, president of Locke Hill Feed, Pet & Lawn Supply says backyard farming might be the answer.
“Is it the right solution to raise your own chickens? I say do it! It teaches responsibility and you know exactly where your eggs come from,” Estes said.
And for some, the shortages are already noticeable.
“For example, we went to Costco the other day… No eggs. They had no eggs,” he said.
Even backyard farming has its challenges. The price of laying hens has nearly doubled, making it a costly investment.
“Five years ago, I could buy a laying hen for $20. Now? It’s $36.95 per bird. That’s a big jump.”
Despite rising costs, vendors say they are working to keep Fiesta fun and affordable. And for now, cascarones are still in stock.
“We manufacture cascarones year-round, so we’ll have them for Fiesta. But if tariffs come, prices could change,” said Pineda.
While vendors aren’t raising prices yet, experts say it may be wise to buy cascarones early in case costs climb before Fiesta kicks off.
For now, the confetti-filled fun continues but keeping this tradition alive might get more expensive in the future.