While the nation's health craze has already carried poultry consumption to its highest levels ever, growth of specialty niches may be giving it even more of a lift.
Poultry has been lauded as an economically priced meat that is high in protein and low in fat. And according to the National Broiler Council, per-capita consumption of poultry has grown from 52.3 pounds in 1983 to 70.9 pounds in 1993, with projected consumption to rise to 74.6 pounds by 1995.
But while already acclaimed as a healthy product, the poultry industry also has some small but developing areas that are gaining the attention of the American consumer looking for even more
wholesome fare.
There has been some growth in "free-range" and kosher poultry because of the way the birds are raised and handled in slaughter. Whether true or not, there is a common perception that the special handling methods keep the birds freer of bacteria and pathogens that could cause illness, according to some retailers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says poultry can be labeled as "free-range" if the birds are "permitted free access to an outdoor yard or other suitable facilities and that they are raised without antibiotics or growth enhancers." Kosher poultry is distinguished from traditionally processed poultry in that it must follow Jewish dietary laws. And according to Hebrew National Co., the process includes a cold water bath and nine steps that take about three times as long to complete as nonkosher chicken.
Pat Yorek, a meat department supervisor for Byerly's, Edina, Minn., said he believes some of the growth in free-range and kosher poultry is due to consumers being bombarded with negative media reports of unsanitary conditions and poor handling of the nation's food supply. With all the publicity about bad practices "I think people feel safer buying that type of product," said Yorek.
"I don't think Americans are becoming health nuts, but they are scared of what they hear."
While sales of free-range poultry only accounts for a small percentage of the nine-store retailer's total poultry sales, there has been a tremendous increase in demand for the range product, he said. "The chicken has increased a lot. It has probably grown about 100% in my store," said Yorek. It is a category "that has gone from nothing to something."
He said the free-range poultry now gets about 3 feet of space in the meat case and is usually highlighted in the section with a sign.
The chain also carries some kosher products in its store, but those sales have been stable, noted Yorek.
For the most part, free-range and kosher poultry are still only available in selected specialty stores and stores serving communities with a large Jewish population. But recently these specially handled birds have been receiving more attention by some mainstream chain stores.
Safeway, Oakland, Calif., has been carrying a free-range poultry product for probably less than a year now, according to Brian Dowling, director of public affairs. "I think most stores in our northern California division are now carrying the free-range, and that is about 200 stores."
At Melmarkets, an 18-store chain in Garden City, N.Y., there has been an increase in demand for kosher poultry, said Lennie Horowitz, vice president and director of meat and seafood for the 18-store chain.
In the fresh departments of its stores in areas that cater to a large Jewish population, it devotes 4 to 6 feet in its fresh case for prepackaged kosher poultry.
And before Jewish holidays, the products will be available in all of its stores to meet increased demand. "It is still a sale niche item, but [sales are strong enough] to certainly warrant us handling it," said Horowitz.
Also, "what we have done in our newer stores is we are putting in separate freezer
sections for kosher poultry," said Horowitz. "This segregated the kosher from the nonkosher and it attracts the customer that would rather have product separate."
Mrs. Gooch's, Sherman Oaks, Calif., a division of Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas, has "always" carried free-range poultry, according to one meat department assistant.
"We carry whole birds and parts, and we will also do anything special for the customer," said Rick Zanotto. For instance, "if they want it skinned, we will do that for them."
In the stores, we also display pamphlets and fliers to explain what free-range is, said Zanotto.
The poultry is featured weekly in ads, and each week the ad changes, he said. "Right now we have boneless, skinless breasts on special."
Between 8 and 10 feet of meat department space is devoted to free-range poultry and free-range turkey.
A&P's Farmer Jack stores in Detroit carry some kosher products and chickens raised without growth hormones that are supplied by Amish farmers in the region. "There has been an increase [in sales] in the Amish [poultry], but sales have been stable in the kosher," said Clarence Bergeron, meat buyer.
"We've carried the Amish chicken for about a year and a half, and it only gets a small amount of space, accounting for maybe 5% of the poultry case."
But the product is growing in popularity, noted Bergeron.
"We can't advertise it because the Amish are not able to fulfill our needs" if the demand increases. It is priced about 5 to 10 cents more per pound than the traditional poultry items.
But Farmer Jack does advertise the kosher poultry, he said.
D'Agostino Supermarkets, Larchmont, N.Y., also carries fresh kosher chicken in whole and boneless breast. Sales have remained generally stable, with increases during traditional Jewish holidays, said spokeswoman Mary Stoner Moore.
Bill Roenigk, senior vice president of the National Broiler Council, said that while sales of free-range poultry are still probably less than 1% of the market, "it is growing in certain markets and it has a certain appeal."
Prices can range from between 59 and 89 cents for traditional whole-bird poultry to up to $1.99 for free-range poultry.
Birgitta Wade, spokeswoman for Empire Kosher Co., Mifflintown, Pa., a kosher poultry supplier, said its supermarket distribution has jumped from 150 stores to about 900 stores in the last two years.
Empire supplies fresh, frozen and individually quick frozen kosher chicken and turkey products, with distribution still centered in major metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Houston, New York and the West Coast.
"The market has grown, and particularly for fresh," said Wade.
Allen Shainsky, president and owner of Petaluma Poultry, Petaluma, Calif., markets free-range products under the Rocky the Range brand name.
He contends that sales of his products are growing because "people are concerned about what they are putting in their bodies and about what they are eating. And they want to try to reduce any antibiotics or anything like that."
The market for free-range poultry has increased, said Shainsky. "We have tripled our sales in less than two years. We see it growing a great deal." The birds are raised on an antibiotic-free and vegetarian diet, without any animal by-products."
