The viral chicken sandwich wars fueled major category growth in foodservice, but an adaptability to global flavors will help the protein retain market share in the future.
“It speaks to a more adventurous spirit among consumers. We’ve moved toward more niche like North African, Southeast Asian and South American flavors as opposed to some of the global flavors that have been around for a long time,” said Katie Belflower, manager, Menu Research and Insights team, Technomic.
When chicken offerings first grew in popularity, quick service foodservice chains raced to add one to menus – many of which were highly similar variations of one another.
Now, foodservice chains are experiment with new flavors and chickens are the perfect vehicle for that. New flavors can be as simple as a dipping sauce or even pre-marinated, pre-cooked options from further processing.
“Chicken is so versatile. I think that’s part of what makes it great for operators. No matter the type of operator or type or cuisine they make or what type of segment their in, there is a place for chicken somewhere on the menu,” she explained.
Belflower will explore chicken menu trends, consumer attitudes toward the protein and the use of technology in foodservice, as well as explore opportunities that will help operators win with chicken at the 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit, scheduled for July 28-30, 2025 at the DeSoto Savannah in Savannah, Georgia.
Registration is now open.
Attend the 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit
The 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit will be held at the DeSoto Savannah in Savannah, Georgia, on July 28-30, 2025. This one-of-a-kind-event will feature two content tracks. The first will focus on consumers and how technology impacts them, while the second will look at the impact new technologies have from an operational standpoint for chicken companies, retail and foodservice.
Serving a unique cross-section of the chicken supply chain, the Chicken Marketing Summit explores issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns and purchasing behavior.
Registration is now open.
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