Atlanta, Georgia-based chicken producer Wayne Farms LLC announced an expansion of Halal-compliant, frozen chicken product offerings for foodservice, deli, retail and club customers in conjunction with Crescent Foods, a known leader in the Halal market segment. The product offerings include a boneless skinless chicken breast fillet, which is immediately available at east coast Costco Wholesale stores and becoming available in Midwest Costco Wholesale stores in October, as well as other fully cooked and par fried items. The Crescent Foods brand means the products are produced in accordance with the highest Halal standards through practices and attributes that go above-and-beyond requirements for conventional Halal offerings.

Many conventional Halal products permit mechanical slaughter of chickens; the inclusion of animal by-products in feed; antibiotic use; and do not require animal welfare certification.

Instead, premium Crescent Foods chicken products feature practices which expand standards to include:

• Hand-slaughtering of each chicken;
• Chickens fed a 100% vegetable and grain diet;
• No animal by-products in feed;
• No antibiotics ever;
• Humane animal care verified, annually, by an independent third party.

“Flexibility and collaboration in creating an amazing chicken experience for all of our customers has never been more important,” said Tom Bell, vice president of prepared foods for Wayne Farms. “Offering ‘choice’ is part of our DNA, and we’re proud of our proven ability to scale-up and expand Halal offerings that meet and exceed stringent quality standards set by Crescent Foods—a well-known and highly regarded leader in their industry.” Bell concluded.

In addition to stringent quality standards, expanded slaughter and harvesting practices at two processing plants located in Alabama ensure that finished products feature desirable ‘clean’ attributes such as All Natural (no artificial ingredients and minimally processed); and no preservatives, MSG, coloring agents or fillers.

To bring a variety of choices to those customers and consumers seeking Halal-compliant chicken offerings, nationwide, the following products are immediately available to all foodservice, deli, retail and club customers:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

• Five-pound, resealable gusseted bag for easy freezer storage
• Available for foodservice and retail
• Frozen individually—not in bulk
• Young, tender chicken

Fully Cooked, Crescent-Shaped Chicken Nuggets

• Three-pound bag, resealable gusseted bag for easy freezer storage
• Available for foodservice and retail
• Formed product with natural, authentic shape
• 100% all white meat

Par-Fried Breaded Chicken Tenders

• Three-pound bag, resealable gusseted bag for easy freezer storage
• Available for foodservice and deli
• 100% all whole-muscle white meat

Par-Fried Breaded Chicken Chunks

• Three-pound bag, resealable gusseted bag for easy freezer storage
• Available for foodservice and deli
• 100% all whole-muscle white meat

Foodservice and Retail Support
Support for foodservice and retail sales include in-store demos, community sponsorships, an e-newsletter, social media, coupon and point-of-sale options, advertisements, industry trade events; and local, national and trade communications. Merchandising and sales support are also available.

Source: Wayne Farms