Perdue launches Simply Smart chicken

News Brief Feature — Image credit: Perdue

As consumers are becoming savvier and increasingly concerned with understanding the ingredients in their food, Perdue Farms Inc. has introduced Simply Smart chicken, a convenient frozen food option designed to meet the growing demand for products that are both healthy and flavorful. This line of grilled, lightly breaded and roasted chicken products deliver the nutrition and great taste that naturally comes from real, simple and recognizable ingredients, such as sea salt, unbleached wheat flour, cracked black pepper and olive oil.

Perdue's line of Simply Smart chicken is made with whole cuts of chicken breast and includes Original Roasted Chicken Chunks, Original Grilled Chicken Strips, Lightly Breaded Chicken Chunks, Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips, and Lightly Breaded Chicken Filets.

Each item in the line has been carefully developed to not only taste great but to have at least 40% fewer calories, at least 50% less fat and at least 25% more protein than the USDA standard for breaded fried boneless chicken. The 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that consumers eat more lean protein, and this product line provides more than 16 grams of protein per serving.

"Through outside research and focus groups we learned that consumers are looking for minimally processed, natural ingredients with no preservatives, and they want to know where their food is coming from," said Tom Mertensotto, vice president of ready-to-eat marketing/new ventures. "Our Simply Smart product line gives consumers the transparency they are looking for along with a healthier frozen food option that still tastes great."

Perdue Simply Smart lightly breaded chicken products are made with 65% less breading, resulting in 40% fewer calories and a minimum of 50% less fat than the USDA data for breaded fried boneless chicken. The lightly breaded chicken products are the only lightly breaded items in frozen fully cooked chicken.

The Perdue Simply Smart Original Roasted Chicken Chunks represent a new form in the frozen chicken category providing consumers with a larger piece of chicken breast meat than current diced offerings. This form was significantly preferred by consumers in head to head sensory testing vs. current diced offerings for taste, appearance and overall liking.

Each item in the product line is made with only white meat chicken, 100% all natural ingredients, is an excellent source of protein and contains no preservatives.

Source: About Perdue Farms Inc.

KEYWORDS: frozen products