Birds Eye is broadening its Chicken Shop line in the United Kingdom with the introduction of seven new SKUs, including loaded burgers, wings, chicken chunks and tenders as well as crispy potato ridges. The products debuted at Tesco stores on September 9 and will roll out to Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Ocado in due course.
The range is designed to provide a complete meal solution for a “big night in,” and this latest launch marks a significant shift for the brand in terms of focus, aiming to deliver an ideal “fakeaway” centered around the taste and formats inspired by quick service restaurants. A fakeaway is the bridge between takeout food and elevating a home cooked meal, without having to wait for takeaway deliveries and the disappointments they can sometimes bring.
Fakeaways are especially popular among 18-34-year-olds, and research has found that this demographic prefers to consume three to four choices of food shared among two to three people. Variety has therefore been key for Birds Eye to ensure that there is an option for everyone in the new Chicken Shop range – from Loaded Burgers available in Tennessee Style BBQ and American Style Gravy, to Buttermilk Chicken Tenders and Hickory BBQ Chicken Wings, Hot & Fiery Chicken Chunks, Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings and Crispy Potato Ridges.
The debut of these Chicken Shop products is accompanied by a complete packaging redesign which follows the same principles and design cues as the rest of the Birds Eye portfolio. The new look intends to help shoppers navigate the freezer aisle more easily and facilitate purchase decisions thanks to a clearer messaging hierarchy.
The vibrant packaging is specifically designed to attract younger clientele, with cues that play to the bricks and mortar chicken shops. Data shows that young adults with no children use frozen food in more main meal occasions than empty nesters or retirees (32.3% occasions vs. 28.4%, according to Kantar) which plays nicely into the Chicken Shop range.
Charlotte Vause-Cross, brand manager, commented: “Our Chicken Shop brand is worth over £20 million RSV, and having grown +30% in the past two years there is a huge opportunity beyond this for retailers. With Birds Eye’s Chicken Shop range driving incremental sales to the total frozen chicken category by bringing in a younger shoppers, and with a focus on taste and inspiration from the quick service restaurant sector, we’re sure that the new products in the range will help shoppers indulge in that Friday night feeling any night of the week.”
This launch is supported by a £5.2 million 360° campaign, including TV, social media, out of home, gaming, PR, and in-store shopper activations.
