KENYA – Kenchic Limited, leading producer of poultry in East and Central Africa region, has expanded its convenience and ready-to-cook product line with launch of new breaded-chicken offerings.

The products under this range i.e., Crispy Kuku Nuggets, Bites, Strips and Burger patty are designed to deliver an easy and enjoyable cooking experience.

This new innovation by Kenchic, follows its introduction of marinated chicken products, in line with its aim of refreshing perceptions of the brand and build further opportunities for consumers to enjoy eating chicken.

“The new range is fast and easy to cook at home and delivers a thoroughly fashionable home treat at a more moderate cost, which is particularly important at a time when food budgets are becoming seriously stretched, but families still want to bring in ‘special’ foods for ‘special’ occasions,” said Mr. Jim Tozer, Managing Director at Kenchic.

On sale, initially, at Carrefour and Chandarana supermarkets, the Crispy products have been designed to inject new verve and variety into the home-cooking options for chicken, which is now Kenyans’ most popular meat choice.  

The launch comes as Kenyans continue to shift towards chicken consumption, driven largely by health considerations.

According to the meat processor, chicken offers a high-protein option for families with typically around 48g of protein per 200g portion compared with beef and red meats that average 43g.

In addition, chicken has far lower calories, at 215 calories per 200g of chicken compared with 349 calories for the same amount of beef.

It is also lower in saturated fats, which can raise blood cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.

Other than rise in demand of healthy foods, the launch of the new-style chicken was informed by research undertaken by Kenchic that identified an emerging generation gap in eating habits especially among the millennials.

According to the vertically integrated company, youth sometimes pull away from family gatherings and celebratory meals, which traditionally represent a foundation stone of family quality time and bonding and heading off for younger and more modern foods.

“In decades past, meals were often remarkably similar day after day, in a way that no one commented on or reacted to.

“But as choices have abounded, our younger generations now seek new experiences and foods, making it important that industry leaders, such as Kenchic, are constantly reviewing and renewing the foods and the ranges we offer,” said Mr. Jim Tozer.

Kenchic’s chickens are produced from parent stock, to eggs, to chicks, and throughout their life cycle, in line with global best practice in ensuring their health and wellbeing, and in guaranteeing outstanding health and food safety for consumers.

Late last year, the company renewed its Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 from the global certification body SGS.

The poultry processor attained its first FSSC 22000 certification in 2011 and has since been renewing it after undergoing a series of stringent food safety tests and audits, a testament to its implementation of the most robust food safety management system in its operations.

“Taking those abiding principles on into our food technology and product development is a natural extension – our aim is to deliver healthy options that bring families together and offer the best eating experiences that are possible,” said Mr. Jim Tozer.

Other than following the stringent regulatory requirement, the chicken processor has invested in modern automated processing facilities that guarantees quality of the products.

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