Supermarket Perimeter - September 2022 - 36

Deli
HOT WINGS
Football season and cooler weather
set the stage for hot food bar items
BY HAYLEY HYER
FOR MANY AMERICAN CONSUMERS, September is all about the
beginning of football season.
Shoppers will be turning to the deli and prepared foods sections of
their local supermarkets for hot food items to enjoy while watching
the games and hosting friends. A classic go-to entree for many football
fans and consumers who just enjoy the season for the food is hot
chicken wings.
With new hot wing promotions coming up from both Springdale,
Ark.-based Tyson Foods and Oakwood, Ga.-based Wayne-Sanderson
Farms, retailers have plenty of options for their hot food bars.
Social media trends create demand for more spice
Tyson Foods' promotional calendar is in full swing this fall season as
the company begins planning its promotional events for the Big Game
in 2023.
" After two years of demand- and labor-driven challenges across the
category, we are working hard to ramp up this fall/winter to support our
customers, " said Megan Huddleston, senior vice president, Fresh Short
Cuts & Innovation, Tyson Foods.
Tyson Foods has several new hot wing flavors that will be revealed
later in the season as limited-time offers for retailers. The new flavors
will coincide with current consumer trends.
The company referenced a February 2022 Mintel study that said,
" The sauce and condiment flavors leading in menu incidences and
penetration include spicy, garlic and jalapeno pepper. "
The trend for spicy flavors largely comes from younger consumers,
Huddleston said. Unique recipes with bold flavors are circulating social
media platforms, particularly TikTok. One example of these recipes that
Huddleston notes is the " Sushi Bake, " a sushi-inspired casserole made
with wasabi for a spicy kick.
Huddleston also pointed out that hot honey (honey infused with chili
peppers) is being used by younger generations on a wide variety of
foods, especially chicken wings.
Consumers continue to prove their devotion to wings
Wayne-Sanderson Farms is amping up its production of chicken wings
with a new production line that increases capacity by more than 42
million pounds of wings.
This new production line positions the company to be able to keep
up with the ever-growing consumer demand for chicken wings.
" Our customers wanted more product because wings are winners on
every table, " said Tom Bell, vice president of prepared foods for Wayne
Farms. " Practically every restaurant segment - from quick-serve to
fine-dining - has a wing offering somewhere on their menu. People love
wings, and we want our costumers to have those products available. "
" We expect sales to increase as word spreads about our new
capability, " said Keri Hart, brand manager of Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
" As COVID restrictions ease, out-of-home dining numbers are picking
up and America's love of chicken wings continues to soar. "
According to the company, the average person eats approximately 16
chicken wings per sitting, 290 per year and around 17,000 in a lifetime.
On Feb. 13 alone, more than 1.4 billion wings were consumed in the
United States this year. Almost 60% of Americans also answered that
they wouldn't mind eating chicken wings for Thanksgiving dinner.
To reassure anyone who fears this is excessive, Wayne-Sanderson
Farms noted that nutritionists regard chicken wings as good for overall
Hot honey is becoming a must-have condiment
The originator and leading brand of hot honey in the United States is Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Mike's Hot
Honey. The company's founder, Mike Kurtz, developed his original recipe after discovering chili-infused
honey at a pizzeria in Brazil. He started out selling the product in 12-ounce bottles. In 2016, Mike's Hot
Honey became available in bulk for retail foodservice.
Retailers can now purchase Mike's Hot Honey for their hot food bars in 1-ounce or 0.5-ounce
single-serve packaging for consumers to take on-the-go or in 192-ounce jugs. The company offers a wide
variety of free display items for brand recognition, including a window cling.
36 - SEPTEMBER 2022
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PHOTOS: WAYNE-SANDERSON FARMS

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