Chicken BREAST Cheaper than Chicken WINGS???


What has this world come to?

In this day and age I guess we have come to expect all things can happen. We have seen Pomace oil sell for more than some Extra Virgin oils. Grain prices control all commodities because it not only fuels the live stock but also fuels the trucks that transport them. Pork has become the cleanest meat in the industry?! What's that saying??? "When pigs fly?!"



I guess in this economy anything is possible, right?!


The economy affected the demand on chicken breast adversely. So much so explains the NY Times, that the chicken wing per pound is roughly $.27 per lb more than chicken breast on average. The advent of the boneless chicken wing has been a boon for most of the restaurants serving wings along with chicken breast, chicken nuggets and the ever popular popcorn chicken.


I got very curious about this phenomenon and did a little market research:

1) Of the restaurants I visited that sell both regular wings and boneless wings, the boneless wing was not priced for less on the menu. In fact most of them sold them for more.
2) In retail stores all of them were selling breast meat for at least 30% more than wings.
Now restaurants have a menu printing cost issue associated with changing the price and are probably counting of some pricing normalcy to take place sooner than later. The Retail sector however has absolutely no excuse other than taking advantage of naive consumers.

We in the food service business have a great opportunity to take advantage of a unique pricing opportunity, while it lasts and truly do some unique things with boneless wings, breast strips, popcorn chicken etc... These versatile items can be used in entrees, appetizers, mixed with sauces , tossed in spices, used as toppers for salads or Pasta. The sky is the limit. Opportunity can be the mother of invention. Boneless wings are adored by kids, adults that want a clean face and at the end of the day they are lower in fat.



Over the next few weeks CULINARY SPACE will be posting recipes and menuable comncepts utilizing these breast products. Until then who knows what will happen, maybe we will finally find out who is buried in Grants tomb????



Bryan Knox

Bay Brokerage Co.