Chicken consumption has been up over the last few years and is poised to surpass 100 pounds per capita for the first time in 2024.

Safe to say, that also means demand is surging for fried chicken, one of the star performers in the category for as long as records have been kept.

Fried chicken continues to be “wildly popular” in the prepared food segment, said Eliza Bobolz, associate brand manager for Broaster Company.

“Fried chicken is incredibly popular. It seems there’s a new chicken concept popping up on every corner.”

Convenience and value are the two main reasons why this longtime favorite is thriving in grocery prepared.

“Consumers today are looking for value, as inflation and costs have risen tremendously,” Bobolz said. “Any time they can get a protein that the whole family will love that can stretch a few meals is a win. And it’s one prepared food that travels incredibly well from the store to home. It’s easy to store and dress up leftovers for additional meals.”

And while it’s true that there are more prepared food options for fried chicken to compete with these days, that’s not a bad thing, said Katie Klaus, Broaster’s marketing manager.

“Diversification has actually helped delis when it comes to chicken. If the supply exceeds the demand during a particular daypart, the extra chicken can be shredded and used as a salad or pizza topper or tossed with buffalo sauce and used in a wrap the next day.”

Delis, she said, can maximize their pressure fryers and use that fried chicken for practically endless meal options.

New on the equipment side from Broaster is the Broaster E-Series 24G, the company’s most advanced, largest-capacity pressure fryer to date.

Able to cook up to 26 pounds of fresh, bone-in chicken per load, it’s a great partner for high-volume chicken programs like those in grocery delis, Bobolz said.

It’s also loaded with automatic features aimed at reducing labor and ergonomic challenges in kitchens. The automatic lift and racking system, for instance, lowers and raises chicken into and out of the cooking well with just the touch of a button.

It also boasts automatic cooking cycles, automatic oil filtration after every load, and it’s programmable.

“It cooks the most amount of chicken with the least amount of oil, energy, and labor of any pressure fryer on the market,” Bobolz said.

And while they can’t go public yet, Broaster is working on some new projects that will continue to help grocery delis make high-quality chicken, she added.

One size doesn’t fit all

Broaster has a solution for every retailer, regardless of size and focus, Bobolz said.

Operators needing assistance implementing a chicken program can find success quickly though one of the company’s branded Trademark Food Programs.

And if a retailer has their own program and is looking for an equipment partner, Broaster has a wide variety of pressure fryers suitable for their unique needs.

“Broaster is ready to help grocery stores bring fried chicken to hungry consumers, whether it’s bone-in chicken, boneless options, tenders, or chicken sandwich concept,” Bobolz said.

When it comes to trends in fried chicken, regional flavors are hot right now, said Katie Klaus, senior marketing manager for Broaster.

Korean BBQ, red curry and Thai basil are three of the hottest.

“One way to easily incorporate these trending flavors into your deli menu is by using a variety of sauces,” Klaus said. “Chicken is the most versatile protein, which makes it the champion menu item that can become a completely different dish when dressed up with a simple toss or a dip.”

Broaster is meeting the surging demand with an expanded sauce portfolio, and also by looking at shake-ons which can be added after cooking to change the flavor profile.

This article is an excerpt from the September 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Fried Chicken feature and more in the digital edition here.