May 9, 2009

Recession boosts US grocery store chicken sales

The recession is boosting chicken sales at US retail grocery stores as consumers look for value while they cut back on expenditures at casual dining restaurants, according to an industry release late Thursday (May 7).

In a release, the National Chicken Council quoted Todd Hale, senior vice president for consumer and shopper insights of Nielsen Co.

The amount of chicken sold in larger grocery stores increased about 4 percent in the year ended in February compared with the previous 12 months, Hale said. Turkey saw 3 percent volume growth, as did pork, while sales of beef were flat and seafood declined about 6 percent, he said.

Chicken breasts were the leading item with a 5 percent growth rate, Hale said, adding that nearly all chicken parts saw sales growth during the year.

Meanwhile, restaurant sales dropped 10 percent to 15 percent in response to the recession, said Monty Henderson, president and chief operating officer of George's Inc., a chicken company, in the release. "People are saving money by dining out less," he said.