Chicken Proves High in the Pecking Order for National Poultry Day

The 19^th March is National Poultry Day and with chicken making up seven of the top 20 main course dishes eaten out-of-home, Moy Park Foodservice is calling on caterers to make the most of the ‘chickenisation’ trend to boost their menus*.        

Chicken is eaten at least twice a week by consumers, with supermarket purchases more than beef, lamb and pork combined^{^}. Out-of-home proves no different, seeing chicken making up nearly a third of the top ten primary ingredients used^*.

With sales flying, the national day is the perfect time for operators to give chicken more time on menus.  With chicken proving cheaper than many red meat options, adding more of the UK’s favourite poultry will drive profits even further.

Frannie Santos-Mawdsley, Senior Customer Marketing Manager, European Foodservice, Moy Park, explains: “Chicken’s wide appeal, versatility and lean-meat, protein powered status makes it a go-to menu option for caterers. Research – as well as our own insight – shows consumers have a real appetite for chicken. Classics like burgers, roasts and curries all benefit from chicken’s popularity – but consumers are always on the lookout for new and exciting dishes.  Operators need help to deliver wow factor dishes that keep consumers coming back time-and-time again.”

One way of tapping into the ‘chickenisation’ trend is with Moy Park Foodservice’s brand new ten-strong Casual Dining Range. From Katsu Chicken Curry Melts and Buttermilk Chicken Wings to Smoky BBQ Chicken Shank and Chicken Ballotine, the insight driven dishes tap into key consumer trends such as Americana, street-food and spiciness to enflame the imagination of consumers.

Frannie adds: “The beauty of chicken is that its versatility lends itself to a host of trends which is reflected in our new casual dining range.  Creating new dishes is easier said than done, when you need to factor innovation, trends, preparation, as well as profitability. Menu development takes time – something Moy Park Foodservice understands – which is why we’ve taken the hard work out of updating menus with this innovative new range.”

Supplied frozen, each product can be made plate-ready in a number of ways with the absolute minimum of fuss and wastage. The range also includes:  delectable Tomato and Mozzarella Chicken Melts, Southern Spiced Chicken Thigh Burger, Nacho Cheese Steak, Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper Koftas, Mexican Koftas, and Herb Crusted Chicken Thigh Burger.

Moy Park Foodservice is trusted by wholesalers, chefs and caterers throughout the UK and Ireland to deliver innovative, high quality frozen chicken products. A specialist in convenient, consistent menu-making solutions, everything the company does is backed by in-depth market insight, chef expertise, and years of foodservice experience, helping it to produce class-leading products that work harder for sites across all channels in hospitality.

*Horizons Menurama Trend Report ^BPC

For more information on Moy Park Foodservice visit www.moyparkfoodservice.com