Chicken consumers get ruffled feathers over price hike of refrigerated poultry

A BBQ fried chicken operator is facing strong backlash from consumers for charging extra for chicken cooked with refrigerated, not frozen, poultry. The chicken franchise explains that processing refrigerated poultry costs more than conventional...

BBQ's Golden Olive Hot Wings [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A BBQ fried chicken operator is facing strong backlash from consumers for charging extra for chicken cooked with refrigerated, not frozen, poultry.

The chicken franchise explains that processing refrigerated poultry costs more than conventional frozen poultry, but many consumers, already frustrated by rising prices, see the move as a sneaky trick to raise prices.

Genesis BBQ introduced the fried chicken made with refrigerated poultry in March at a price 3,000 won ($2.3) higher than that made with frozen poultry.

Some consumers found the higher price problematic, especially considering the recent series of overall price increases by chicken franchise operators, including Genesis BBQ.

The issue took flight on Monday evening after some consumers took the matter online, uploading screen captures of the price of BBQ's Golden Olive Hot Wings on their delivery apps.

The item originally costs 20,000 won, but if consumers want the stores to make it with refrigerated chicken wings instead of frozen, they would need to pay an extra 3,000 won.

“Chicken prices have been hiked too much already — I saw it on the news that nowadays people prefer to order their chicken for takeout in person or go to marts to look for cheaper prices,” one user wrote.

Some branches introduced refrigerated poultry for chicken franchise BBQ's Golden Olive Hot Wings [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Consumers criticize that the extra fee is too much considering the recent rise of chicken prices amid high inflation. Another chicken brand, Kyochon, upped all of its chicken items on the menu by 3,000 won earlier this month. The price hike came in a year and five months after its last increase, when the franchise partially upped its prices by 2,000 won.

However, BBQ states that the addition of the refrigerated chicken product option was backed by rising consumer demands.

“The item is originally cooked from frozen chicken,” a BBQ spokesperson explained. “However, consumer demands are diversifying by day, and there has been a significant group of consumers wanting their chicken to be fried from refrigerated chicken since 2018. But refrigerated chicken takes much more labor to make, from taking out poultries’ feathers, nails and uneatable parts, to create the menu.

“So the policy has been implemented from last month, but it depends on each branch operator’s decision whether or not to bring in refrigerated chicken. The company cannot force all branches to follow the orders.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]