Whether it’s grilled, baked, fried or topping a salad, chicken is flying high on many c-store menus.
By Jeffrey Steele, Contributing Editor
In addition to the latest headlines involving better-for-your offerings and healthier choices, Americans are set to eat more meat in 2018 than ever before.
In weight, the average consumer will eat 222 pounds of red meat and poultry this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, surpassing a record set in 2004. Chicken consumption has nearly tripled since 1965, making it now the most popular meat in the U.S.
In fact, Americans ate 92 pounds of chicken per person last year. According to the National Chicken Council, Americans consume well over one billion wings in the days leading up to and including the Super Bowl. That’s a lot of bones spent and a lot of bones gnawed.
The love for chicken is not lost on the convenience store industry. More chicken means more affordable items on a c-store’s menu, which means more poultry accessibility for all income levels.
Not every convenience retailer offers prepared chicken programs. But those that have considered adding such programs and decided to wing it often report that sales of tenders, bone-in, sandwiches and other chicken offerings are top sellers. Chicken provides a welcome protein entrée, and provides outstanding opportunities for innovation.
According to Kim McLynn, spokesperson for the NPD Group, a food industry research firm, ready-to-eat chicken and turkey main entrée servings from convenience stores are down 10% in the year ending June 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.
But on a more promising note, McLynn said, sales of ready-to-eat breaded chicken sandwiches increased 17% during the same period.
PROTEIN PACKED
One convenience retailing veteran who has experienced considerable success with chicken is Brian Unrue, director of operations for Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, a chain of 85 locations based in Ashland, Ky. The chain features Krispy Krunchy Chicken co-branded programs in eight of the company-operated Clark’s Cafés. Clark’s Cafés is the in-store dining program at Clark’s.
“We opened our first Krispy Krunchy inside our first store nine years ago,” he said. “With chicken, it’s easy to manage and control. On top of that, who in the world does not like some kind of chicken?”
Unrue found the hold time of four hours helps keep waste under control, and the labor factor is easier to manage. Clark’s offers bone-in, tenders and wings, with bone-in being eight-piece cuts that are always fresh, never frozen. Tenders are large, thick and average three to four ounces. Also sold are four-ounce chicken sandwiches from self-serve grab-and-go warmers. All the chain’s chicken is fried in high-quality oil.
“I’m a big believer in our chicken programs,” Unrue said. “Our chicken performs consistently the same month to month and year to year. The margins and supply side of the operation are always consistent. Sales have longevity and continue to stay in the top five items that we offer in any of our fast food offerings. Honestly, some of my Cafés are in rural areas where we see the same customers every day, and would think they would tire of it. But that is never a factor.”
At Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Flying J, Shannon Johnson vice-president of food and beverage innovations, said the chain has offered chicken for years, with leading sellers being wings and tenders.
“We are innovating around half chicken and other cuts, and we’ve introduced a version of roasted half chicken,” Johnson said. “We have a grilled chicken that we use for salads and other items we prepare. We don’t currently have a chicken sandwich, but anticipate having one down the road.”
Pilot Flying J has more than 750 retail locations in 44 states. The company also offers the PJ Fresh Marketplaces, which provides prepared meals and on-the-go food options, most of which are made in-store daily.
The travel center operator is intent on controlling for moisture in its food and environment, Johnson said.
“One of the ways to protect quality is to control moisture. We’re using sauces to make sure we’re delivering a moist, delicious product every time. The least desirable piece of chicken is a piece of dried chicken. The opposite is moist and delicious flavors.”
CHICKEN ‘TRENDERS’
Prepared chicken programs invariably evolve over time. All Krispy Krunchy and Clark’s Café locations are experiencing growth with catering menu pricing.
“Whether for parties or church gatherings, the tenders are very popular,” Unrue said.
While chicken makes a good entrée, it lends to extra sales in additional side items.
“Another [aspect of] the chicken is the sides that go out with the chicken, whether wedges, green beans, mac-n-cheese, red beans and rice or jambalaya. These add-ons all have great margins.”
Clark’s continues adding two to six new Clark’s Cafés yearly, with chicken as the anchor of each. Tenders are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with consumers who enter daily. Locations are more heavily promoting multi-piece chicken featuring eight to 12 pieces for working families. “It’s a higher ring with some good margin,” Unrue said.
Maybe the biggest change in Clark’s Pump-N-Shop is the size of hot cases in store. The chain began with three-footers and now places no smaller than four-foot cases. Clark’s installed a much bigger, eight-foot hot case in its newest store in Olive Hill, Ky.
At Pilot Flying J, Johnson noted chicken is the leading protein in the world currently. For those in traditional food business targeting the widest swath of customers, “chicken has to be part of the menu, for its popularity, relatively low cost and versatility,” Unrue said.
Chicken is a great platform from which to launch innovation, he added. Foodservice operations can use chicken as a base to deliver new flavor profiles to guests. Chicken also provides a base from which to cross-utilize other ingredients from other menu preparations. For example, one of the most popular pizzas with Pilot
Flying J’s customers is a chicken bacon Alfredo pizza, Johnson noted.
“Chicken fits into larger trends as well. One of those is that customers love to see the product being made,” Johnson said. “No one in the last 20 years has built a closed kitchen environment,” he added. “Seeing the work and effort that goes into the food is important to our guests. Expectations continue to be higher and higher every year, given that guests are more knowledgeable than in the past. They’re reading about food, watching The Food Network. People are being more conscientious.”
KEYS TO SUCCESS
At Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, Unrue has identified several keys to success with chicken.
“You must always be fresh and cases need to always look full,” said Unrue. “No one wants to buy the last piece of anything. Never look like you are going out of business.”
In addition, Unrue urges stores to use fresh, never-frozen chicken for the enhanced taste and quality. Cases should feature clean glass and look appealing.
Hold times must also be zealously monitored to ensure cases cradle the freshest chicken products.
As well, “your whole facility needs to be clean and organized,” Unrue said. “No one wants to see a dirty kitchen. [Use] clean uniforms and aprons.”
Finally, Unrue believes in the idea of all managers understanding the entire program. “If a store has a foodservice offering it should be managed by a fast-food manager,” he said.
“We cross train cashiers, the general manager and the district manager, so all know how to prepare, package and sell all items in a Clark’s Café.”
Asked to identify Pilot Flying J’s keys to success in preparing and presenting chicken choices, Johnson responded that there are two critical parts to any foodservice program: delivering an excellent food experience and, providing a great service experience to customers. Having one without the other, “you don’t win,” said Johnson.
“We focus on simplicity of preparation and clarity of message from a menu standpoint, so that it is much easier for our team members to deliver on the service principles we know will take us where we want to go.”
Stepping Back from Antibiotics
Like a growing list of retailers, Pizza Hut is committing to cut antibiotics from its menu.
This past June, the pizza chain announced a plan to transition fully to chicken raised free of antibiotics important to human medicine by 2022. The announcement included its chicken wings.
“Today’s announcement to no longer serve chicken raised with antibiotics by 2022 demonstrates our commitment to serve food that not only tastes great, but that customers can feel good about eating,” Marianne Radley, Pizza Hut’s chief brand officer, said in a statement at the time.
Pizza Hut’s most recent announcement comes a year after it transitioned to using antibiotic-free chicken in its pizza toppings. In 2016, Papa John’s announced it had transitioned to poultry raised without antibiotics. Last year, KFC said its U.S. poultry suppliers had been given until the end of 2018 to stop raising chickens using antibiotics important to human medicine.