Tough times ahead

As the poultry market now realises the effects from higher prices caused by many issues affecting the global supply chain, caterers need to get smarter in the kitchen to keep costs down. John Porter reports.

Operators looking at the latest price lists from their suppliers may consider it a little ironic that there was a time when 'chickenfeed' meant something cheap and trifling. However the grain essential to feeding poultry has risen sharply in price over recent months and as a result the April 2011 Consumer Price Index figure shows a 4.6% year on year increase in poultry prices.

This creates an interesting challenge for chefs and caterers used to thinking of poultry, especially chicken, as a gross profit 'banker' that can be used to generate good margins on a wide range of menu staples, from sandwiches and soup to pasta and curry.

This versatility is underscored in research by Moy Park Foodservice, which shows that chicken is the leading protein eaten out of home, accounting for 25% of all dishes.

Suppliers such as Moy Park maintain that poultry is still a cost effective and popular option.

Marketing manager Jayne Hall says it is helping restaurants satisfy this strong demand for chicken with a range that takes into account the practical needs of caterers. The company's products include the Chickwich range as well as thaw and serve items such as buffalo wings, roast chicken drumsticks, wings of fire and chicken tikka.

"The beauty of these products is that they are easy to prepare and so can be served in a relatively short time from frozen – a great benefit for busy restaurants that want to provide food for their customers but don't have enough kitchen staff to keep up with demand, particularly during busy trading periods," she says. "They also take some of the skill out of the cooking process which makes them appealing to outlets with limited kitchen expertise.

"Thaw and serve products offer caterers a good profit opportunity in their own right but they also help to boost profits because of the savings they produce in terms of the time staff spend preparing and cooking the food. This makes them very appealing to a growing number of caterers," adds Hall.

In an inflationary environment, portion control is an important way for caterers to manage margins. Plusfood's new Perfect Portions range launched at the IFE exhibition this year, promises minimum weight variance, ensuring the same sized serving every time. Launched under the company's Perdix brand, the range is split into three categories: chicken chunks for snacks, goujons for starters, and fillets for main courses.

"The variety of cuts such as fillets, wings, dippers and goujons, means that chicken can be presented in a number of ways and this, allied to the speed with which these items can be cooked, makes them perfect for fast, efficient service," says national account manager Tim Lucas.

He also points out that chicken is hard to beat for versatility. "Take a popular item such as our breaded chicken strip. I've seen this used in a burger, a baguette and even on top of nachos.

Add in the fact that chicken lends itself very well to a wide range of different and interesting flavour profiles and you can see why it remains so popular."

Emphasising quality and choice is Crown Foods' Simply Chicken range, with products ranging from the newly launched spicy chicken breast bites to southern fried chicken breast fillet and crispy batter mini breast fillets. Director Gayl find that chicken is one of the most popular and affordable choices on offer that can be turned into a variety of mouth-watering meals with very little effort."

With most pub menus featuring Asian and oriental dishes regularly, poultry works well as a carrier for spicier flavours. The Big Kitchen's commercial director Jonathan Ashmore says:

"We're eating out more than ever and pubs are reaping the benefits with the rise of casual dining. Light bites and sharing platters are increasingly being chosen over formal dining and poultry, with its wide appeal, versatility and value for money has become the meat of choice for consumers in the recession.

"Our precooked chicken satay was developed to bring value to the business and quality to the customer; poultry on menus can be a risky business if it's not thoroughly cooked and there isn't an experienced caterer in the kitchen. The use of precooked  poultry overcomes these challenges, speeding up operations, reducing waste and consistently delivering great tasting dishes."

The company supplies fully cooked chicken satay in sweet chilli, tikka and Bali flavours, which need just a few minutes to be heated, and can be served as a light bite, a sharing platter and a main course with accompaniments such as coconut rice and a traditional peanut sauce.

Another specialist in spicier dishes is The Authentic Food Company, which believes chicken is proving its worth in an inflationary market despite rising costs. Brand marketing manager Sandra Peirce says: "Chicken is the most versatile meat available and the most popular choice in the UK for eating out, and this trend looks to be gathering pace in 2011. "We are also seeing more extensive use of thighs rather than breast meat, which are becoming more popular following their use by a number of TV chefs."

She says that alongside traditional favourites such as chicken tikka, korma and jalfrezi, for those looking for something a bit different it offers Kashmiri chicken – "a development on the korma profile with a subtle flavour of apricot running through it". Another dish becoming increasingly popular is butter chicken, a speciality from the state of Punjab in northern India.

"These dishes, among many others, are promoted via the successful and popular curry clubs in national pub chains which is a great way to enjoy a curry with all the accompaniments at terrific value," she says.

Beyond chicken, suppliers are working to establish the culinary credentials of other poultry products. Gressingham Foods and chef Galton Blackiston from Michelin starred Morston Hall Hotel & Restaurant in Norfolk have joined forces to encourage more people to enjoy duck, with Blackiston developing new recipes and promoting Gressingham duck at food festivals. Meanwhile, Bernard Matthews recently launched a TV ad campaign featuring Marco Pierre White extolling the British turkey.

"Poultry has benefited in the recession, thanks to its strong value image and is well placed to continue to see strong demand if consumers' budgets come under further pressure this year," says general manager Duncan Marsh.

"Consumers more than ever want to know what they are eating, with more than 20% saying they want to know the fat content of their food and one in five saying they want to know the calorie content. Low in saturated fat, skinless turkey breast contains 20% fewer calories than beef, with less than a third of the  fat found in pork and less than a sixth of the fat found in lamb."

With research conducted on behalf of the British Frozen Food Federation showing that operators are increasingly turning to frozen food to manage costs, the fact that poultry freezes well is a particularly important factor if kitchens are limited on space, he says. "Our British turkey products are frozen rapidly with the express purpose of minimising nutrient losses and preserving taste."

Frozen products in its Golden Norfolk range include cooked turkey breast saddle, which can be served cold or reheated once defrosted, and raw turkey breast saddle and single turkey breast lobe, both of which can be cooked from frozen or defrosted.

Any cooked leftovers will keep in a fridge for up to three days, ideal for sandwiches or as an ingredient in stir fries, pies and curries, adds Marsh.

With inflation forecast to continue, such versatility could well be poultry's saving grace – even if the price is no longer chickenfeed.