​​​​​​​ShopRite Expands Bowl & Basket to Fresh Chicken

ShopRite’s comprehensive reinvention of its private brands behind the Bowl & Basket name has now reached the meat case, where it has launched a line of fresh chicken products.

The retailer-owned cooperative said its Bowl & Basket Fresh Chicken marks a significant expansion of the supermarket’s private label poultry offerings, demonstrating a commitment to offering customers an ever-expanding assortment of high-quality products under its flagship private label brands, which include Bowl & Basket, Paperbird and Wholesome Pantry.

Bowl & Basket and Paperbird, introduced for the first time in 2019, supplanted the ShopRite label for national-brand equivalent items as the chain moved to elevate consumer perception of the offering while growing penetration of private-brand goods, which generally provide retailers with higher margins than branded counterparts at a lower price to consumers.

The chain said the new chicken line—including more than two dozens SKUs—delivers the highest quality poultry offerings available while also meeting heightened demand for transparency and sustainability. The antibiotic-, steroid- and hormone-free chicken is part of Wakefern/ShopRite’s Animal Welfare and Animal Care Program, and is sourced in the USA.

“We’re excited to launch this new product in our stores, and build on our long tradition of offering our customers fresh, high-quality poultry at amazing prices,” Roger Savoia, VP of the meat division for ShopRite, said in a statement. “We’re confident that this new line of chicken will become the new anchor brand of our fresh poultry portfolio.”

The retailer said it would support the launch with a robust omnichannel marketing campaign which will provide shoppers with additional guidance on meal planning, recipes and cooking tips hosted by the ShopRite’s dietitians across various social media platforms. Additionally, celebrity chefs Palak of @TheChutneyLife and Josh Capon of @ChefCapon, have partnered with ShopRite to create appealing content and buzz about the line.

“Years in the making, the Bowl & Basket Fresh Chicken line will provide our customers with an easy, affordable way to create fast, tasty and healthy meals that they can feel good about serving their families,” said Pam Ofri, director of product development and operations, Own Brands, for ShopRite. “We have listened carefully to our customers, and we know they want high-quality items, at the best possible value—and we’re committed to delivering on that promise.”

ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, N.J. It operates nearly 2980 stores in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, and serves millions of customers each week.