Cal-Maine Foods, a top producer of eggs known for using other companies to ship its goods, mysteriously lost 280,000 eggs, only to discover they had been stolen by thieves intent on earning a ransom.

Previously, the egg farm had been owned by ISE America. But in 2024, Cal-Maine had paid about $110 million for around 4,000 acres and 4.7 million chickens, expanding its empire along the East Coast.

Headquartered in Penn Township, Kreider Farms — which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year — now operates on 3,000 acres in three counties to produce eggs, milk, ice cream and more.