SIMPLY CHICKEN
T here is much discussion about pending legislation on an acceptable level of brine injection in frozen chicken portions. None of which is relevant when it comes to Simply Chicken (a sub-brand of Rainbow), which offers chicken lovers a brine-free alternative.
Simply Chicken’s new brine-free 100% Chicken Mixed Portions is a unique product. Rainbow has never used brining for its fresh chickens, but prior to the birth of Simply Chicken, the brand’s frozen portions were all brined to compensate for the loss of chicken juices during defrosting.
“We at Rainbow feel it is important to offer consumers of individually quick frozen (IQF) chicken the choice
A BRINE-FREE OPTION GIVES OUR CONSUMERS A CHOICE
of 100% chicken, with no brine or water added, as an alternative to our existing IQF portion products,” says Rainbow’s brand manager Christian Nee-Whang. “In the last couple of years we have seen a growing awareness and concern over the perceived excessive addition of brine into IQF products. Although the practice of adding brine complies with all legislation and is globally practised, we believe there is a need to offer the choice of a brine-free IQF for those people who are concerned about the addition of brine, or the impact of increased sodium levels in their diet. This new offering enables consumers to enjoy the same tasty curries, stews and casseroles they are used to with regular IQF portions, but with much lower sodium levels.”
Frozen chicken makes up about 90% of the local market, and IQF products constitute about 60% of total retail chicken sales. Brine injection of chicken came under the spotlight in 2010 when some poultry producers were alleged to be injecting their IQF portions with excessive amounts of brine solution. Since then the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has been in talks with the SA Poultry Association and other interested parties to find the most acceptable levels for consumers and the industry.
According to Jason Livesey, marketing director of Rainbow Chicken Farms: “Brine is routinely added to maintain the succulence and tenderness of frozen chicken portions, which are more prone to drying out on defrosting than whole chicken. The concerns around brine relate predominantly to the perceived negative health effects of excessive brine injection, and the amount of water loss and shrinkage that can occur when brine-injected meat is cooked. By launching a brine-free option we are simply giving our consumers a choice.”
The Simply Chicken brine-free option puts the choice in the hands of consumers. “The new Simply Chicken IQF product adheres to the Simply Chicken brand promise of being 100% chicken, and meets our standard of consistent good quality and value,” says Nee-Whang.
Rainbow’s Simply Chicken is also committed to locally produced as opposed to frozen imported chicken.
“With 100% local, 100% brine-free, 100% pure chicken, you can’t go wrong with our great new offering,” says NeeWhang. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is, and so can consumers.”