We’ve relied on this convenience dinner for over two decades, so now it’s time to find out where these birds actually come from and how, through years of ever-rising grocery prices, they’ve been able to stay shockingly low-cost.
Where Do Costco’s Rotisserie Chickens Come From?
Costco roasts and seasons its chickens in-house, providing customers with a meal that's ready to eat right from the deli counter. But, before these chickens arrive at Costco's warehouse locations, they must first be “harvested” from a grower. And, just as we learned for our Kirkland bacon investigation, the story’s not as simple as tracking down one certain grower.
We spoke to poultry processing expert, Ryan Stegall, to get answers about the rotisserie chickens’ origins.
“Costco traditionally utilizes single-source suppliers for most of [its] other products, however because of the meat industry, it’s very difficult to use a single source depending on where they’re going to get it from,” he explained.
At one point, Costco was buying all of its chickens from Tyson and Foster Farms, but, after reported fall-outs with these companies, Costco made some big changes to its chicken production to vertically integrate the poultry process and essentially own everything. In 2019, the grocer established its own massive chicken production complex in Fremont, Nebraska, and partnered with a company called Lincoln Premium Poultry (or LPP) to manage it.
What does this mean? Well, by this system, Costco owns the facility but pays the private company to raise the chickens from eggs to pullets to broilers, slaughter them, and ship them out raw to stores. Not only does this take a whole lot of liability off of Costco’s shoulders, but it also helps keep costs low for the consumers.
"And, Costco will have the ability to audit that,” Stegall adds. “Essentially, if you screw up they’ll take it from you and sell it to somebody else, almost like a franchise model.”
Right now, LPP aims to supply Costco with 500,000 hens per month—that’s six million chickens per year. Even though that number sounds massive (because it is), Costco sells over 100 million chickens per year, so it’s really a small percentage of the total marketplace.
“But, that Lincoln Premium Poultry model is the model Costco’s going to use moving forward,” confirmed Stegall.
The benefit of supplying this way is that Costco is 100% in control, and when it comes to producing a food product known for its low cost and consistency, that oversight is important. For the Costco customer, it means you can rely on purchasing a juicy, spit-roasted chicken right around three pounds every single shopping trip.
What's changing is the packaging. The chickens used to come in a clamshell made of hard plastic. Now Costco is swapping that out for a plastic bag. In an internal company memo shared on Reddit (since removed), employees said the new packaging would be “coming soon” and would reduce its environmental impact by 75%.
To cut costs, Costco opened its own 400,000-square-foot poultry processing plant in Nebraska in 2019. The plant enables the company to manage the chickens from farm to production and ensures that the birds are grown to the correct size, typically around 3 pounds.
Costco's rotisserie chicken is arguably the most controversial piece of poultry in America. In the span of just one year, customers have claimed that the rotisserie chicken tastes like chemicals and causes gastrointestinal issues.
Is rotisserie chicken processed meat? Yes. While each whole rotisserie chicken may appear unprocessed, the addition of additives like those described above mean it's actually considered a processed food.
Contrary to what you might have thought, unsold chicken isn't tossed into the bin. Instead, it's actually repurposed. In fact, Costco explains that all of the meat from leftover rotisserie chickens is used to make an assortment of chicken-based goodies found at their deli counter.
As is the case at most grocery chains, Costco's rotisserie chickens are a loss leader. “Very few people simply buy the chicken and leave,” John Longo, a professor at Rutgers Business School, told The Hustle. “They probably shop for other items that provide higher profit margins.”
Where Do Costco's Rotisserie Chickens Come From? Costco roasts and seasons its chickens in-house, providing customers with a meal that's ready to eat right from the deli counter.
Unlike so many other items that have been subject to rampant inflation in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, Costco's ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken has retained its $4.99 price tag since the product was introduced approximately 30 years ago.
Another reason why you might have to do a lap around the store before more chicken appears is that there is no limit on how many rotisserie chickens shoppers can buy.
Rotisserie chicken can be an easy way to add protein and other important nutrients to your meals with little effort. Just be mindful of the saturated fat found in both the skin and the dark meat, as well as any hidden sodium.
Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh.
To get its signature, addictive flavor, Costco injects its chickens with a salt solution. Similar to marinating or brining, this salt solution infuses the chicken with a salty taste in every bite, inside and out.
Costco will be releasing data about the "total plastic footprint" of their in-house brand, Kirkland, which is where they're focusing their efforts first. This December, Costco vows to share a five-year action plan about how they're planning to use less plastic, the Public Interest Research Group reports.
Rotisserie chicken lasts for up to four days if cooked and stored correctly. Keep the chicken in an airtight container or zip-top bag, and do not consume leftover chicken if left at room temperature for an extended period of time (more than two hours).
Some of the lowest sodium options that Consumer Reports found include Kroger's Simple Truth with just 40 mg of sodium per serving and Whole Foods organic plan with 70 mg and Whole Foods non-organic plain with 120 mg.
Costco Wholesale's famed rotisserie chicken is noticeably smaller. While its been long rumored that Costco planned to move away from its large bins to bags to reduce plastic, the change to a smaller bird is a surprise.
The Costco rotisserie chicken is as notable for what it isn't made with as much as what it does include. According to the label, it's free of potentially problematic ingredients like MSG, hormones, artificially-derived colors and flavors, and gluten.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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