Foodservice is battling it out over chicken tenders and fast casual Starbird is betting big on premium.
“We’re seeing people want more flavor differentiation and more healthful options that they don’t feel guilty about eating every day,” said Starbird CEO, Aaron Noveshen.
Starbird’s chicken tenders are no-antibiotic ever, always fresh and hand-breaded using a blend of gluten-free flours and spices.
Chicken tenders are delicious, highly portable and sauce-forward, which helps explain their popularity with consumers, he added, noting that “trends are saying that the chicken consumption will continue to grow over the next ten years and we at Starbird are meeting that demand.”
The premium chicken tender chain operates 17 restaurants in California and recently announced a franchise development deal that would bring seven new locations to the Greater Denver area.
An emphasis on global flavors
Today’s consumer is increasingly interested in global flavors, which Starbird is happy to provide.
Starbird’s most popular flavor is their signature Star Sauce, but the brand also offers Thai Herb Aioli, Nashville Hot and California Gold Barbeque.
Healthy indulgence
Starbird’s number one category seller is salads, featuring vegetables roasted in house topped with the chain’s chicken tenders and house-made dressing.
Healthy indulgence or indulgent wellness is a top trend with consumers right now. For example, 78% of respondents indicated that indulgent snacks boost their mood, while 64% reported that indulgent snacks make them feel healthy and strong, according to data from Mondelez’s State of Snacking Survey 2022.
“We see this trend toward people wanting to balance indulgence with not feeling guilty,” Noveshen explained. “We see tremendous growth in this category where people can come to Starboard and eat something that is so satisfying, yet on the flip side they don’t feel weighed down by it.”
In other chicken foodservice news:
- Wing It On won gold for “America’s Best Tasting Sauce” at the National Buffalo Wing Festival. The brand is celebrating its three-peat with the “Champion Sampler Meal,” comprised of a combo of six wings alongside fries and a fountain drink.
- 7-Eleven plans to open 500 food-focused stores by 2027, building on a previous prototype called Laredo Taco Co.
- Hungry Howie’s will have a Chicken and Waffles Pizza available now through December.
