Turkey nugget products are not a new idea, but for whatever reasons, they are still an anomaly.
Chicken nuggets have clearly been a boon to poultry companies around the United States, not to mention the grocers and the restaurant companies.
But somehow, turkey nuggets haven’t quite got the same traction.
Recently, in reading a press release from Perdue Farms, I got to thinking maybe it’s time to give them a major launch.
In advance of Thanksgiving, Perdue launched ThanksNuggets, a limited-time offering that packs all the flavors of Thanksgiving into two nuggets: Breaded Breast Meat Turkey Nuggets, and Breaded Dark Meat Turkey and Cranberry Nuggets. The drumstick-shaped dark meat nugget is inspired by traditional sides like cranberry sauce and stuffing, while the turkey-shaped white meat nugget is inspired by sweet potato, the release described. The white and dark meat nuggets were wrapped separately and came in 24-ounce packaging.
So how popular were the Perdue ThanksNuggets?
The company was telling the truth when it said it was a limited edition product, as only 100 bags were available. (The company chose the number 100 in honor of Perdue Farms’ 100-year anniversary.) However, it appears Perdue maybe should have made more bags available. A message on the company’s website said the nugget products sold out in less than three minutes.
But Perdue hinted that more may be coming.
A message on the website read: “(We) understand some are disappointed they were not able to snag this limited-edition product for Thanksgiving. Make sure to stay tuned for news on how you might still be able to get your hands on a bag!”
Beyond the holidays
So these ThanksNuggets were popular, but one unique thing about them is they also featured flavors of other Thanksgiving-time flavors such as cranberries, stuffing and sweet potatoes.
Turkey doesn’t have to be accompanied by those flavors. My favorite sandwich to order when I go to an area deli is turkey and Swiss on an onion bun. There are no cranberries and there is no stuffing.
That leads me to believe multiple variations of turkey nugget products can be successful.
I remember earlier this year during the Kansas Ag Growth Summit, John Niemann, president of protein ingredients and international channel, Cargill Protein, said the turkey industry is working hard to grow the span of how and when turkey is consumed.
Turkey nuggets, to be consumed year-round, may just be the kind of thing Niemann, who is a member of the National Turkey Federation’s 2020 Executive Committee, was describing.
It’s certainly an idea worth exploring.
