Waitrose has extended its range of own-label fried chicken as its NPD efforts continue.
Twelve “new and improved” breaded chicken products rolled into stores this week, including five brand new lines.
Waitrose was hoping to capture what it said was an increased demand from customers wanting breaded chicken products, with sales having increased 7% compared with the same period last year.
Searches for “fried chicken” had also increased 32% on the supermarket’s website over the past month, it said, indicating the dish continues to “surge in popularity”.
The five new products are: Classic Chicken Mini Fillets, Freefrom Chicken Mini Breast Fillets, Cajun Chicken Mini Fillets, Hot Honey Chicken Bites and Classic Chicken Steaks. All are selling for £4.50.
Among the seven new and improved lines are Southern Fried Chicken Thighs & Drums – which have an “improved flavour and ratio of thighs to drums in pack”; Ham & Cheese Chicken Kyivs and Garlic & Parsley Chicken Kyivs, all on sale for £4.75.
Southern Fried Chicken Mini Fillets, Hot and Spicy Chicken Mini Fillets, Buttermilk Chicken Mini Fillets and Nashville Style Chicken Breast Fillets, also all priced at £4.50, complete the range.
Over recent years, Waitrose has increasingly focused its NPD efforts on providing dine-in solutions or ‘meal for tonight’ options for customers, in order to capture a growing demand for convenient meals.
The new chicken range aimed to provide customers with “quick and flavoursome meals” that could be prepared “in minutes”, said Waitrose product developer Rosie Corr.
“With 12 options now in the range, we know our customers will find something they love. We have also introduced our Freefrom Gluten Chicken Tenders to cater for those with gluten intolerances,” Corr said.
The products are available in-store, online and via the grocer’s on-demand services with Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Selected lines are included as part of a three for £12 mix and match offer.
It follows the launch of a brand-new Urban Pizza range last month. The ‘fakeaway’ range – which includes pizzas, sauces and sides – is aimed specifically at catering to weekend shoppers.
In July, Waitrose also extended its Ready to Eat range of ready meals, adding 19 new products aimed at catering to shoppers seeking “comfort” during what was a wet summer.
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