ShopRite Selling Antibiotic-free Rotisserie Chicken

ShopRite has introduced a rotisserie-style, cage-free chicken raised without the use of antibiotics -- ever. The chicken is the first such offering of its kind in ShopRite stores, according to the Northeast regional banner

Developed in collaboration with Salisbury, Md.-based Perdue Farms and sold under the ShopRite Kitchen by Perdue brand, the item “is part of ShopRite’s growing commitment to offering customers delicious, convenient and ‘better for you’ meal solutions that meet their needs and fit their busy lifestyles,” the supermarket chain noted.

“We’re proud to be bringing this unique product to market,” said Geoffrey Wexler, VP, food service division at ShopRite, the registered trademark of Keasbey, N.J.-based retailer cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. “We know our customers are looking for products that they can feel good about serving their families and we believe this chicken, raised entirely without antibiotics on an all-vegetarian diet, is in line with the changing health-and-wellness needs of our shoppers. Rotisserie chicken is a great protein-packed grab-and-go product that grows in popularity each year.”

In fact, Wexler pointed out that, according to the Washington, D.C.-based National Chicken Council, an estimated 900 million rotisserie chickens are sold annually in the United States.

In other BFY product news, ShopRite last December launched the Wholesome Pantry line, featuring hundreds of food products free from artificial preservatives, colors and additives.

With more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, the banner serves more than 6 million customers each week.