Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular fast food chains in the United States, known for its fried chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. But where exactly does all that delicious chicken come from? As consumers become more concerned about the quality and sourcing of their food, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s poultry have come under scrutiny.
An Overview of Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Supply Chain
According to Chick-fil-A’s website, 100% of their chicken comes from real, whole chicken breasts with no fillers or added hormones and steroids. Their chicken is raised in barns, not cages, on farms in the United States that adhere to the company’s Animal Wellbeing Standards.
Chick-fil-A works with chicken suppliers and farms across the country to source their poultry Many of these supplier relationships were originally established decades ago by the company’s founder. By maintaining close, long-term partnerships with farmers and producers, Chick-fil-A aims to uphold high standards for animal welfare and food safety.
Key Players in the Supply Chain
So who exactly are the major suppliers that provide chicken to Chick-fil-A? The company does not publicly disclose all of its suppliers for proprietary reasons. However, some key players have been identified:
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Tyson Foods – One of the largest meat processors in the world. Tyson produces fresh and frozen chicken for Chick-fil-A restaurants.
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Perdue Farms – A major American poultry company. Perdue processes Chick-fil-A’s whole-muscle chicken breast. The companies have collaborated since 2014
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Pilgrim’s Pride – A chicken producer that is one of Chick-fil-A’s longest-standing suppliers. The partnership dates back to the 1960s.
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Mar-Jac Poultry – A Georgia-based chicken processor that produces whole chickens exclusively for Chick-fil-A.
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Midway Poultry – A chicken harvest facility in Alabama that debones chickens for Chick-fil-A.
So while Tyson is a major player, Chick-fil-A utilizes a diverse network of chicken producers and processors to meet its high demand.
Meeting Strict Standards
Chick-fil-A maintains rigorous quality assurance standards for its chicken suppliers. All suppliers must achieve Global Food Safety Initiative certification and undergo regular audits by Chick-fil-A’s supply chain team.
Specifically, Chick-fil-A requires the following:
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No Antibiotics – Chickens are never given antibiotics important to human medicine. Suppliers must have a veterinary oversight program.
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No Added Hormones – Chickens are not administered artificial or added hormones, which is standard practice in the U.S. poultry industry.
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Humane Treatment – Chickens must be raised according to Chick-fil-A’s animal welfare standards with access to a comfortable, spacious environment.
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Food Safety – Suppliers follow strict sanitation, transportation, storage, and processing protocols to prevent contamination.
By starting at the source with trustworthy farmers, Chick-fil-A is able to deliver high-quality chicken raised in a responsible manner.
Regional Differences
Where available, Chick-fil-A aims to source chicken from local suppliers near each restaurant location. However, some broad regional differences exist:
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Chickens for West Coast restaurants typically come from California or Arizona farms.
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The Midwest and South receive poultry from major chicken-producing states like Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas.
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Northeast locations source chicken from Pennsylvania and North Carolina suppliers.
Regardless of region, all suppliers must meet the same standards in order to sell chicken to Chick-fil-A. This ensures consistency across the chain.
Commitment to Quality
In the fast food industry, few companies can rival the selectivity and care that Chick-fil-A puts into sourcing its signature product. By focusing on whole chickens and nurturing long-term relationships with suppliers, Chick-fil-A can closely monitor animal welfare, safety protocols, and quality from farm to restaurant.
Next time you visit Chick-fil-A, you can eat your nuggets and sandwich comfortably knowing that your meat originated from chickens that were humanely raised without unnecessary antibiotics or artificial hormones. In the quick-serve world, that degree of care is uncommon and worthy of appreciation.
A business built to serveService. Team. Growth. Chick‑fil‑A
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Whether working in the warehouse or delivering to a Chick‑fil‑A restaurant, we want you to be empowered to do what’s right for Operators and their teams. Roles include:
- Warehouse: Receiving, picking and loading critical ingredients and supplies restaurants need to prepare meals
- Transportation: Hand-delivering these critical items to restaurants and keeping our trucks in tip-top shape
- Specialized Support: Serving restaurants by helping our day-to-day operations run smoothly, including safety, quality and compliance; fleet maintenance; administrative support; customer service; and human resources.
Serving others starts with you. When you can bring your best self to work, our team flourishes. In return, at Chick‑fil‑A Supply, we want to help you grow personally and professionally. We offer:
- Competitive compensation and benefits built on Chick‑fil‑A’s history of generosity
- Comprehensive training and professional development opportunities designed to bring out your best.
- Scheduling aimed to allow you a meaningful life outside of work
Grow with us. Our business is different, and we need your creativity to help us support Chick‑fil‑A restaurants’ tremendous growth. When you can bring your best ideas to the table, together we can determine how to best serve one of America’s favorite quick-service restaurant brands. The first, full-scale distribution center for Chick-fil-A Supply opened in 2019. It is located in Cartersville, Georgia, employs approximately 200 employees and has the capacity to serve up to 300 restaurants. For information on the other distribution centers in our network, click on the link below.
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Behind Chick-fil-A’s Unconventional Franchise Model | WSJ The Economics Of
FAQ
Where does Chick-fil-A get their chicken from?
Our chicken is raised in barns (not cages), on farms in the United States, in accordance with our Animal Wellbeing Standards, and with No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine (NAIHM). * No artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any poultry in the United States.
Does Tyson supply chicken to Chick-fil-A?
Tyson supplies both Chick-FIL-A and Popeyes & no telling who else, probably just about everyone. I’m going to stop buying Popeyes (unless they agree to another supplier) and I ask the rest of you to stop patronizing the others as well.
What food distributor does Chick-fil-A use?
Why is it only $10,000 to open a Chick-fil-A?
Does Chick-fil-A buy chicken from the United States?
Yes, Chick-Fil-A’s commitment to supporting local farmers extends to sourcing 100% of its chicken from within the United States. How does Chick-Fil-A ensure the quality of its chicken? Chick-Fil-A works closely with its suppliers to maintain high standards for its chicken products.
Who are Chick-fil-A’s trusted chicken suppliers?
Read on for insights into Chick-fil-A‘s trusted chicken suppliers, animal welfare policies, inventory volumes, and commitment to quality. Chick-fil-A partners with several major poultry suppliers like Tyson and Purdue to meet their incredible demand across over 2,300 restaurants nationwide. But not just any supplier qualifies for their business.
Who makes Chick-fil-A chicken?
Tyson – One of the world‘s largest chicken producers at over 20% U.S. market share. Chick-fil-A standards likely comprise a small subset of Tyson‘s overall production. Purdue – Prominent U.S. poultry company focused on ethics and animal care. Sanderson Farms – Third largest U.S. poultry producer and longtime Chick-fil-A supplier.
Does Chick-fil-A supply hormone-free chicken?
As the nation‘s leading fast food chicken chain with over 2,300 locations, Chick-fil-A has honed the science of supplying high-demand poultry. But how exactly does their supply chain deliver the volumes of ethical, hormone-free chickens we‘ve come to expect in our sandwiches and nuggets?
Does Chick-fil-A have a chicken farm?
Yes, Chick-Fil-A has a specific set of standards called the “Chick-fil-A Supplier Handbook” that outlines its expectations in areas such as food safety, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. Does Chick-Fil-A have its own chicken farms? No, Chick-Fil-A does not have its own chicken farms.
Does Chick-fil-A have a poultry supply chain?
Chick-fil-A partners with several major poultry suppliers like Tyson and Purdue to meet their incredible demand across over 2,300 restaurants nationwide. But not just any supplier qualifies for their business. As a picky shopper and retail analyst, I scrutinize brands‘ supply chain ethics.