Chicken Takeover

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Limited-service chicken concepts have become something of a trend in the Canadian foodservice market.

This trend is perhaps most visible in Toronto, where brands such as The Chickery, Flock Rotisserie + Greens and Union Chicken have set up shop and begun expanding their presence across the city. (The Chickery also boasts an aggressive international expansion plan that will see the brand open up to 100 restaurants throughout the Middle East over the next 10 years.)

Similar concepts have also opened up in other parts of the country, including Calgary-based Cluck N Cleaver and Montreal’s Campo.

These chef-driven fast-casual restaurants boast focused menus that generally offer chicken (rotisserie, fried, or both), chicken sandwiches, salads and sides. As Chicago-based Technomic has noted on its blog, the focused/limited menus at these concepts go against the larger trend of chains expanding their menus to suit a wider variety of tastes.

Another key trait is that these chains tout themselves as a better alternative to their QSR counterparts — offering “better chicken,” better taste and better value, as well as better-for-you options. This includes promises of local and fresh, never frozen chicken at many of these chains.

Home-grown concepts aren’t the only players in this space. South Africa-based Nando’s has brought its peri-peri chicken to Canada, with close to 50 locations in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. Like its local counterparts, the fast-casual concept boasts local, fresh, never-frozen chicken. All of the chain’s Ontario locations also serve halal chicken sourced from an Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of Canada-certified partner.

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