What happens when three food industry veterans with a shared passion for innovation and problem-solving come together? In the case of Dan Bowman, Paul Byrd, and Neil Kinney, the answer is Rich Chicks, LLC—a company that has redefined breaded chicken while revolutionizing school lunches across the United States.
Now, Rich Chicks has launched Byrd Delish to bring their unique, high-quality, clean-label chicken products to the commercial foodservice market.
“Our chicken is different from everyone else’s by design,” said co-founder Paul Byrd. “So is the way we partner with our customers. Operators should be able to offer the high-quality, clean label chicken that consumers overwhelmingly prefer and work with a partner who understands all the challenges they face—labor shortages, rising costs, changing consumer demands and more.”
It all started with chicken, the most consumed protein in America. Consumers love chicken in all its forms, especially as a majority seek to add more protein to their diets. Chicken is tasty, convenient and more importantly in today’s economy, value-priced compared to other proteins. These benefits have driven chicken’s growth to nearly $41 billion in annual sales, a significant leap in both pounds and dollars sold over pre-pandemic levels. Breaded chicken is among the most popular type, with a preference level of about 80%, rivaling that of French fries.
“As a result, the industry has invested heavily in modernizing food safety and bird quality, expanding capacity, and enhancing processing to maximize throughput and yields,” said co-founder Dan Bowman. “In all that expansion, what often gets left behind is the quality and innovation of the final product, and in some cases, the customer experience. We want to change that.”
Byrd Delish by Rich Chicks emerged from the trio’s groundbreaking implementation of a patented process that results in a juicier, more flavorful chicken products. Rich Chicks’ method results in a product with up to 30% less oil absorption and more than 25% less sodium than conventional breaded chicken.
But the innovation didn’t stop there. Even cost-conscious consumers look for clean labels; 81% of shoppers say it’s important to them to purchase clean label food products, according to the recent Clean Label Insights Study by Acosta Group. So, the company also demanded that their breading supplier create a clean-label product free from common allergens like soy, egg and dairy and eliminate additives like phosphates altogether—creating a unique product that appeals to a wide variety of health-conscious consumers.
Innovative product in hand, Byrd identified the K-12 school sector as an ideal starting point. Rich Chicks began focusing on school districts, emphasizing the importance of high-quality, nutritious meals. Over the past 15 years, the company has expanded its reach to become a USDA Commodity Processor, serving millions of students in 23 states. Their commitment to quality has made them a top choice in school cafeterias, significantly boosting student participation rates.
Building on this success, Rich Chicks recently launched the Byrd Delish brand for the commercial market. Designed for convenience and food safety without compromising on quality, Byrd Delish offers fully cooked, breaded chicken with increased heat retention, moisture and flavor.
While working with the demanding school commissary market, Rich Chicks developed a wide range of products and processes designed to make operations run smoothly, from ordering to back of house. Portions are consistently sized and fully cooked, to maximize food safety and make it easy for staff to manage. The patented moisture-lock technology ensures a juicy, satisfying sensory experience for consumers while the oil-blocking technology extends frying oil, lessens waste and allows for shared fryer use. Increased heat retention means a more satisfying consumer experience and ease of product monitoring.
“Consumers want convenience, but they don’t want to sacrifice quality,” says co-founder Neil Kinney. “Our Byrd Delish products deliver on that promise, offering chicken that’s juicy and flavorful, whether served in restaurants, commissaries, or at home. We believe our customers’ success matters and we support them every step of the way with consumer-appealing products and the white-glove support and service that helps them compete.”
Click here to learn more about Byrd Delish and its portfolio of solutions.