Rustlers is doubling down on the booming appetite for fried chicken with the launch of its new Rustlers Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger, as the £109m chilled snacking brand looks to capitalise on one of the fastest-growing trends in both out-of-home and in-home eating.
The NPD is designed to bring QSR-style crunchy chicken into the chilled aisle, tapping into demand driven by the rapid growth of high street chicken chains.
The new Rustlers Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger is made with 100 per cent chicken breast fillet, coated for a crunchy bite and paired with a trending American-style ranch sauce in a seeded brioche bun.
Ready in just eight minutes in the air fryer, it targets shoppers seeking convenient meal solutions that replicate out-of-home favourites at home.
The launch comes as 87 per cent of UK consumers eat fried chicken monthly, with the category continuing to dominate social media and youth culture, amassing over 137 million TikTok views.
Chicken is also the fastest-growing protein across both foodservice and retail, while demand for “fakeaway” options continues to rise as shoppers look to recreate restaurant experiences at home.
“Chicken isn’t just a trend,” said Elaine Rothballer, Head of Marketing – Consumer Brands, “it’s a cultural phenomenon. Consumers are actively seeking out that crunchy, indulgent QSR-style experience, and increasingly want to recreate it at home.”
The launch will be supported by in store activation and an ATL activation to drive product awareness.