While overall per capita chicken consumption was essentially flat over the last year, according to a forecast from the National Chicken Council, c-store operators are still experiencing growth in the category and expect to continue that trend.
At Kwik Stop convenience stores, with 27 (soon to be 28) locations in Nebraska and Colorado, tenders are the top sellers in the chicken category all day long, with Crunch Box offers consisting of three, four or six tenders with a small side among the most popular configurations. Truck driver customers often choose to buy two- to eight-piece meals of chicken legs and thighs.
“Legs are easiest to eat while they’re driving,” M. David May, director of food services for Kwik Stop, pointed out.
May also noted sales of its Krispy Krunchy Chicken continue to grow by 10-20% every single year.
Breakfast sales, particularly, are “growing like gangbusters,” with the No. 1 item during that daypart being the chicken and cheese crispito, a stuffed tortilla that the stores sell under the company’s proprietary deli program, he reported. Also increasing during breakfast are sales of chicken tender sandwiches on buttermilk biscuits.
To mitigate waste, unsold chicken parts are cooled down and sold from the cold case where customers with electronic benefit transfer cards can purchase them. Tenders may be put into tortillas with cheese, lettuce and sauce to be sold from the grab-and-go case.
Chicken Meal Deals
Ashland, Ky.-based Clark’s Pump ‘n Shop also does a robust chicken business in the 26 stores that offer it, stated Jessica Russell, the chain’s food service director. She added she expects sales to remain brisk as consumers continue to look for tasty, reasonably priced meal alternatives.
Clark’s has a total of 68 locations in Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio. It partners with Krispy Krunchy Chicken in 15 stores, Cooper’s Express in seven and Champs Chicken in four.
Tenders are the hottest sellers and lunch the primary daypart. The goal this year, Russell said, is to introduce “some strong promotions to entice our customers to let us prepare their evening dinner.”
“We hope to create some bundle deals with our pop vendors,” revealed Russell.
May, too, predicted that chicken will remain attractive as a dinner option, as even two-income families are cost conscious these days.
Kwik Stop sells family deals consisting of either 12 bone-in pieces or 12 tenders, a large side, and six biscuits for $25.99.
“It’s a quick, easy and competitively priced way to feed a family of four,” he explained.
For larger families, Kwik Stop sells a 12 bone-in piece plus six tender meal deal for $35.99.