Americans bought 625 million grocery store rotisserie chickens in 2017, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal.
That was “a few million more” than in 2016, according to data from market research firm Nielsen and club store giant Costco cited in the story. Costco alone sold 87 million rotisserie chickens in Fiscal 2017, up from 51 million in 2010.
The story details how retailers use rotisserie chickens as a loss leader, banking on the fact that consumers will add deli sides and other items to complete a meal or buy other grocery items while they’re in the store.
Costco has sold its chickens for $4.99 since 2009, according to the story. During a chicken shortage in 2015, the company lost $30 million to $40 million to keep the price stable.
Also in the story, Russ Richardson, vice president of deli and bakery for Kroger, says his company is “relentlessly focused” on not raising the prices of its rotisserie chickens.