No price increase owing to brine reduction
RCL Foods said that stakeholders that are saying that chicken will become more expensive are relying on the deception of the per kilogram price getting more expensive.
THE government’s recent announcement that injecting brine into frozen chicken will be capped at 15%, has led to widespread reports that frozen chicken portions will become more expensive as a result.
Scott Pitman, Managing Director of the Consumer division at RCL Foods, which produces and markets Rainbow, Farmer Brown and Simply Chicken brands, says this is untrue and RCL Foods would like to clarify for South Africans that this is a myth that is being fostered by some stakeholders that are against the new cap.
These are the facts
Currently a 2kg packet of frozen chicken portions costs consumers around R39.99.
There are about 10 pieces of chicken in each packet.
If the brine percentage is capped at 15%, the amount of brine in each packet will come down from an average 30%.
The same 10 pieces of chicken will still be in the packet, but the packet will now only weigh 1.65kg because there is less brine.
The new 1.65kg packet will cost the same R39.99, for the same 10 pieces.
RCL Foods said that stakeholders that are saying that chicken will become more expensive are relying on the deception of the per kilogram price getting more expensive.
This is simply because you will get more ‘real chicken pieces’ per kilogram as more than half the brine is removed.
RCL Foods has always campaigned for a cap on injection.
The company believes South African brine levels in frozen chicken portions are not supported by science.
Excessive injection levels by the larger manufacturers has compromised the integrity of South African chicken and the industry.
Consumers need to know they are getting only the brine necessary for succulence and no more.
