JEWEL-OSCO INTRODUCES ALL-NATURAL CHICKEN

LYNNE MILLER

CHICAGO -- A new line of store-branded, all-natural chicken has been rolled out to Jewel-Osco stores, winning over customers who like not only the meat but the dry packaging, officials said.

Jewel worked with parent company Albertson's to develop the program, the first private-label meat initiative for the division, a spokeswoman told SN. The chicken comes from one of Jewel's long-time suppliers, Fieldale Farms of Baldwin, Ga., who certifies the chickens are minimally processed, grown under specific conditions and nourished with high-quality feed, according to spokeswoman Karen Ramos.

In a full-page, full-color newspaper ad published in one of the Chicago-area dailies, Jewel touts the virtues of its new poultry line. "Jewel chickens are never given hormones or additives," read the ad, which notes the chickens receive "plenty of fresh air and pure food" and are "raised in a pure and pristine environment."

Chicken pieces are also "packed in hermetically sealed wrapping that's guaranteed not to leak," according to the ad.

A photograph of a fully cooked bird on a platter appears on the top half of the page and, in the background, a misty picture of a red barn conjures images of old-fashioned farming. Pictured are four traypacks currently available: wings, boneless skinless breasts, drumsticks and combination packs of boneless skinless breasts and thighs. The Jewel logo is affixed to the outside of the packages, appearing on the bottom.

Since Jewel All Natural Chicken hit the meat cases in October, the product has been priced competitively with other chicken brands Jewel sells, Ramos said. Sales of the new line are meeting expectations.

"People tell us it's good quality," Ramos said. "They especially like the leakproof packaging.

"Customers told us that was something they were looking for," she continued. "We wanted a product with leakproof packaging. We knew the technology was out there and we asked Fieldale if they could give us that product. They did."

In addition to newspaper ads, the retailer has featured the chicken in store circulars. And, brochures found in the stores tell the story behind all-natural chicken, noting the company controls 100% of its breeder stock to produce consistent, high-quality broilers. Recipes offering suggestions on how to cook the product are also available.

While Jewel customers are used to seeing Jewel-brand merchandise in other parts of the store, they're just getting acquainted with the brand in the meat department. They'll have more chances in the near future. The company plans to roll out Jewel-brand turkey and ham products later this year, Ramos said.

Jewel is not alone. The generic, commodity look that defined meat departments for decades is starting to change. Recognizing the potential for building sales with branded programs, retailers in recent years have introduced new lines of meats bearing store brands and logos on the labels.

"The quality of the brand is very important to our customers," Ramos said. "We've established for customers that Jewel brands are quality products. We stand behind our products. That credibility is there. We see repeat sales of items and that's good news for us."

Albertson's also has identified development of the private-label segment as a priority. "Strengthening the private-brand segment of our business is one of the company's critical initiatives for 2002," said Larry Stablein, executive vice president of marketing and merchandising, in a statement.