Canadians consumed 32.5 kg (71.6 lbs) per capita of chicken in 2016, resulting in the highest level of chicken consumption ever in the country.
This confirms the fact that chicken is the favorite of Canadian grocery shoppers and continues to be an important part of nutritious meals. Chicken has been the first choice of Canadians for over a decade, when chicken per person consumption (per capita) passed beef for first place, and has remained the top preference ever since.
"Chicken is number one for Canadians who want a healthy and nutritious choice for themselves and their families," said Benoît Fontaine, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada. "Our farmers are proud to raise high-quality, nutritious chicken for Canadians. We have been doing this for generations and it's good to know that our hard work is being recognized."
2016 was one of the most successful years ever for the chicken industry, with production increasing by 4% to a total of 1.148 billion kg (2.531 billion lbs) of fresh Canadian chicken for consumers.
Trust is a big reason behind the ongoing success of the Canadian chicken industry.
In a recent survey, 93% of Canadians said they prefer to feed their families food raised by Canadian farmers. That support is the thinking behind a new brand logo: "Raised by a Canadian Farmer." Now Canadians can have confidence in knowing where their food comes from by looking for the brand and trusting that it was raised safely by a Canadian farmer.
"We have a responsibility to our consumers to keep their food safe, to protect them, and to humanely and carefully raise the animals we grow," added Fontaine. "Canadian chicken farms are run by hardworking men and women and the birds are being raised to the highest standards for food safety and animal care."
