Does any one know the difference in cost between fresh chicken parts (ice pack) vs. pre-pack chicken parts. In other words what does the chicken packer charge for packaging the chicken parts. Can they do it cheaper than at store level? Thank you.
For a few cents more, it's worth it! you don't have to take the time to pack it,use tray-soaker-wrape . just take it out of the box, put a price sticker on it, put it the case! Some come already priced!
We are supposed to be going 100% prepack chicken. Labor getting cut another 2%. Not sure if they balance but I know we can not support our current team on those figures, add in crappy comps due to poor marketing, management and public image. We just get told "think outside the box". (but any MBA can tell you that's a cover for "I dont know what else to do"
I'd appreciate have hard numbers, price per # bulk, including labor and packaging vs 100% pre pack.
I brought this subject up because I think its time to create "another box". The box of common sense! No doubt it is true that buying pre-packaged chicken saves some money to the supermarket industry. However, and remember pre-package chicken was the pre-cursor to pre-packaged everything!!! Pork, lamb, veal, turkey and some beef items mostly in the grind category. All that being said lets us "meat cutters" take a second look at the chicken category and give it a good "proctoscope-exam".
a) In 1965 the consumption rate for beef was 75 lbs. per person. Chicken was 37 lbs. per person. At this point in time we cut whole body fryers at store level.
b) In 1975 the consumption rate for beef was 88 lbs. per person. Chicken was 39 lbs. per person. We were still cutting whole body fryers at store level.
c) In 1985 the consumption rate for beef was 79 lbs. per person. Chicken was 53 lbs. per person. Most stores still cut up whole body fryers, although some stores began the transition to pre-package.
d) In 1995 the consumption rate for beef dropped to 66 lbs. per person. Chicken went up to 69 lbs. per person. Stores began moving in earnest towards pre pack chicken!
e) In 2005 the consumption rate for beef stayed steady at 65 lbs. per person. Chicken went up to 86 lbs. per person.
f) In 2014 the consumption rate for beef fell to 54 lbs. per person. Chicken stayed steady at 85 lbs. per person.
The estimate for 2015 is that beef will remain at 54 lbs. per person but chicken could clime to 91 lbs. per person.
I guess the point I am trying to make with these stats is: If your chicken sales have gone up without prepackage chicken and you are maintaining your labor goals. Then why switch? Take a 100 pounds of fresh fryers weigh them up and cut them into parts and price the parts accordingly to see how much more profit you can make with cutting whole body fryers. Just make sure you time yourself and remember that the labor with benefits in todays world is about 15% of store sales.
I did a test not long ago on a 100 lbs. of fryers weighing about 3.75 to 4 pounds
legs; 26 lbs.; breast 34 lbs.: wings 8 lbs. back & neck 20 lbs. ; giblets & livers 4 lbs.. fat & skin waste and shrink 8 pounds.
