Wayne Farms chicken so popular it backs up traffic

If the Wayne Farms personnel ever questioned how much consumers in Albertville, Alabama, enjoy the company’s chicken products, there should be little doubt now.

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Wayne Farms recently held a drive-through chicken sale in Albertville, Alabama. Following the sale, the company posted a billboard to thank local businesses for their community support amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Wayne Farms)
Wayne Farms recently held a drive-through chicken sale in Albertville, Alabama. Following the sale, the company posted a billboard to thank local businesses for their community support amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Wayne Farms)

If the Wayne Farms personnel ever questioned how much consumers in Albertville, Alabama, enjoy the company’s chicken products, there should be little doubt now.

The company hosted a drive-through chicken sale in Albertville, selling more than a literal ton of products that included chicken thighs, boneless tenders and breasts, split wings and drumsticks. The poultry products were sold at a meaningful discount, at less than a dollar per pound.

Wayne Farms spokesman Frank Singleton explained that the company routinely hosts sales like this for its employees, which he added have been very well received.

But with grocery stores facing a product shortage because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wayne Farms extended its sale beyond its own workers.

“We know that store shelves are empty and the community would appreciate the effort, so we discussed the idea with local leaders and decided to do the sale and offer the chicken to the community at a discounted price,” Singleton explained in an email.

And appreciate the effort they did.

So many people showed up for the sale, traffic was backed up on several side streets, bringing on the need for all available Albertville police officers to work traffic control, Albertville Police Chief Jamie Smith told the Sand Mountain Reporter.

“I’ve never seen so many people out after a box of chicken,” Smith said.

Because the Albertville chicken sale attracted so many consumers, Wayne Farms had to limit each vehicle to two boxes, each with 40 pounds of products inside, according to a report from WHNT.

Once the sale was completed, Wayne Farms placed a billboard, thanking local businesses for their support of the Albertville community.

Wayne Farms’ Albertville facility celebrated its 50th year in business in 2013.

Established in 1963, the Albertville poultry plant was one of the original processing facilities to operate under the Wayne Farms name. Wayne Farms purchased the facility from the North Alabama Poultry Cooperative Inc. to manufacture and sell fresh poultry products.

View our continuing coverage of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

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