Chicken Rules the Roost in the Deli

Consumption of the deli’s biggest bird continues to rise.

Over the past several decades, chicken has steadily risen in popularity to become, by a wide margin, the most popular meat in the country.

When John F. Kennedy was elected the first Catholic president in 1960, Americans ate an average of 63.5 pounds of beef per year, compared to just 28 pounds of chicken, according to statistics compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based National Chicken Council. The National Chicken Council is a trade organization representing companies that raise, process, or transport chickens for human consumption.

Chicken consumption eclipsed beef for the first time, by an average of 66.5 pounds to 65.9, when Bill Clinton first won the White House in 1992.

More recently, chicken has continued to increase market share as the most affordable and healthiest animal protein.

“We’ve seen the surge in chicken,” says Kurt Richars, director of marketing for Anchor Packaging, St. Louis, MO. “In part, it’s driven by the perceived health benefits of chicken.”

Anchor Packaging is a global firm manufacturing packaging for consumer and healthcare products, including packages that enhance the shelf life of fried chicken when displayed in the deli under heat lamps.

As Donald Trump won his second term in 2024, chicken consumption dwarfed beef by an impressive margin of 102.7 pounds to just 49.9 pounds. And the Chicken Council forecasts chicken consumption to rise to 104.9 pounds this year, while beef remains a distant second at 58.6 pounds.

ROTISSERIE IS STAR

In the deli, the star of the category is rotisserie chicken, which makes for a popular and convenient center-of-the-plate option.

“The deli is seeing growth in convenient, protein-rich options, such as meat snacks and rotisserie chicken,” says Sherry Frey, vice president for total wellness at Nielsen IQ in the International Deli Dairy Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) recently released What’s in Store 2026.

The rotisserie meat market reached $3.5 billion in 2024, according to Emergen Research, and was forecast to reach $6.2 billion in 2034. Emergen is a market research and consulting firm based in British Columbia.

Chickens capture a significant majority of the rotisserie market, and rotisserie chicken sales are increasing briskly.

“The global demand for rotisserie chicken has seen a significant uptick,” according to an Emergen report, “with sales increasing by approximately 10% in recent years. This trend is expected to continue as more consumers prioritize quality and flavor in their meal choices.”

While Costco sells more than 150 million rotisserie chickens a year, and Walmart more than 50 million, that still leaves a large enough flock of these tasty birds for the deli to consider paying attention to current flavor trends.

“For many consumers today, Latin and Mexican flavors are a regular part of their meal rotation,” says Maeve Webster and Mike Kostyo, president and vice president, respectively, of Menu Matters. “If you’re looking for your next rotisserie flavor, make it chile lime.”

Menu Matters is a consulting firm specializing in trends in the restaurant sector.

Rotisserie chickens have the added benefit of also boosting sales of complementary sides and salads.

FRIED CHICKEN COMES ON STRONG

Many chicken items benefit from strong consumer demand for convenient protein options. “Much of the growth in the deli is generated by deli-prepared and entertaining spaces,” says Bailey Furtado, senior fresh foods industry analyst at Circana. “Deli prepared — including entrees, side dishes, appetizers, prepared meats such as rotisserie chicken and more — saw growth of +4.0% in dollars and units up +1.4% for year-to-date ending Nov. 30, 2025.”

Fried chicken packages, both behind the counter and in convenient grab-and-go options, are also earning a healthy share of the deli protein market. While rotisserie chicken leads the category, the IDDBA’s current list of top 10 trends in deli meat flavors had fried chicken at No. 5.

“We see a lot of demand in both rotisserie and fried chicken,” says Richars. “Reliance on prepared food is increasing. It increased during COVID, and it’s still up there.”

“We see a lot of demand in both rotisserie and fried chicken. Reliance on prepared food is increasing. It increased during COVID, and it’s still up there.”
— Kurt Richars, Anchor Packaging, St. Louis, MO

New technologies aim to improve efficiency in the handling of fried chicken cooking oil, and in the display of the product.

Anchor has developed packaging that reduces labor and shrink and increases repeat sales of fried chicken pieces displayed in the deli under heat lamps. “We have packages with vent holes on the sides and the top,” says Richars. “If fried chicken is in a hot case, it will hold for a couple of hours. We have to deliver quality, which means it has to taste like fresh meat. We also have to create more efficiency for the retailer so they can do more with less labor.”

Another essential part of the program for various fried chicken products is efficiency in handling the oil.

One new technology improves the safety and efficiency in moving cooking oil from the fryer to storage tanks. Frontline International’s Used Cooking Oil Pump Station can be mounted on a wall, floor, or even in the ceiling near the FOG-generating equipment. It safely moves fats, oils, and grease to a remote containment tank via a trunk line running from the top of the pump station to a valve on the tank.

“Their equipment is created to save labor and improve safety,” says Christina Campbell, account executive at Cunningham Baron, which is Frontline’s public relations firm.

Another time-saver is to fry the chicken under pressure in a broaster. “When you cook under pressure, it takes a lot less time,” says Katie Klaus, senior marketing manager at Broaster Company, Beloit, WI. “It takes about half the time.”

Broaster manufactures a variety of pressure fryers that cook under pressure to reduce cooking time and gas energy and extend the useful life of the oil. “The chicken is also more tender and juicy,” says Klaus.

DON’T FORGET THE WINGS AND BITES

Several products other than rotisserie and fried are also enjoying shares of the robust market for chicken in the deli.

“Grab-and-go bone-in chicken wings and boneless bites, both sold in the cold case, as well as in the hot cases, are common formats,” says Dante Todaro, operations intern at La Nova Wings, Buffalo, NY. “Grab-and-go containers of four to six pieces of wings or boneless bites with a side of sauce are a good way to merchandise. Typically, pricing is the greatest challenge, but we are seeing these style foods really start to take good traction for convenience and quick meals.”

Wings have become so popular that it is worth offering choices in sauces. “You need a barbecue sauce as a substitute for the traditional buffalo sauce,” says Todaro. “Our barbecue chicken wings are successful in the two high-volume pizzerias we operate in Buffalo.”

Todaro believes cost trumps health in driving chicken sales. “People buy what’s good for their pockets, compared with what’s good for their health,” he says. “Intentions are always good, but the pocketbook often dictates the decision.”

Over the decades, chicken has increased its advantage as the most economical animal protein. When Kennedy was elected, the average retail price for beef was 82.1 cents per pound, according to Chicken Council statistics, while chicken cost 42.7 cents per pound. By 2024, the price of beef had risen to $8.23 per pound, while chicken retail prices had increased more modestly to $2.43 a pound.

While the market for deli chicken is strong, retailers would do well to keep an eye on new competition down the street for this robust market.

“Convenience stores are utilizing delis to increase revenue,” says Todaro. “Delis are growing largely due to their implementation in c-stores looking to diversify their sales. Items that are easy to eat while driving or for a quick lunch seem to be the trend.”