Chick-fil-A East Madison 4212 E. Washington Ave Madison, WI 53704 Email: muraca@wisc.edu Phone: 952-715-1598 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Madison Chick-fil-A Incorporates Wisconsin-sourced Ingredients MADISON, WI - Chick-fil-A’s Madison location is partnering with farmers and businesses from south-central Wisconsin to reinvent its popular chicken sandwich with premium, locally-sourced ingredients. The fast-food company is committed to providing its customers with first-rate products, and hopes to showcase the quality of Wisconsin-grown produce to the Madison community. Chick-fil-A will offer a version of its well-known chicken sandwich with organic chicken from a network of farms in south-central Wisconsin. Chick-fil-A chose its Madison location to recognize Wisconsin’s strong agricultural industry and create long-standing relationships with its local farmers and organizations. Chick-fil-A is not the only industry benefiting from the adoption of fresh, Wisconsin-grown ingredients; the local farmers and businesses getting involved are just as excited. “Who would have thought that a big company like Chick-fil-A would use our products. It is impressive seeing such a large corporation caring about what their consumers eat,” local farmer, Lucas Johnson said. Chick-fil-A is taking the initiative a step further by bringing the community into production and using ingredients from local farmers and businesses, like Madison bakery Dough Re Mi, to better its menu items including salads, bread and wraps. “The residents of Madison have always enjoyed our menu items. Collaborating with Chick-fil-A seems like a win-win situation to me,” owner of Dough Re Mi, Megan Portman, said. One of Chick-fil-A’s New York locations already took the pledge to deliver high quality products by making menu items with local produce and bread. Following this successful example, customers will now be able to enjoy the revamped items in Madison and 10 other locations.
Chick-fil-A was recently named the most popular chicken restaurant in the United States. Despite only being open six days a week, Chick-fil-A still maintains its sales by offering an extensive family-friendly menu including diverse breakfast options. With the adoption of locally-sourced ingredients, Chick-fil-A plans to continue its competitive edge and improve the nutritional side of its menu. Chick-fil-A follows the trend of health-conscious eating by releasing these products. Along with Chick-fil-A, many companies in this industry have also started creating healthier menu options. This shift of focus accommodates the popular trend of healthy eating that many consumers care about today. “Knowing that Chick-fil-A puts a great deal of thought into their food makes me feel good as a customer, especially now that I can support local business at the same time,” said Madison resident, Michael Smith. For more information about Chick-fil-A’s efforts and progress with the adoption of locally-sourced ingredients at the Madison location, contact Colleen Muraca.
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[BACKGROUNDER] 4/9/18
Chick-fil-A Partners With Local Farmers and Businesses Reaffirming their commitment to providing the highest quality products to customers, Chick-fil-A will be partnering with farmers in South-Central Wisconsin to provide locally sourced chicken for Madison storefronts. Utilizing local ingredients reaffirms Chick-fil-A’s commitment to providing customers with premium quality food while simultaneously showcasing Wisconsin’s rich agriculture industry. Additionally, Chick-fil-A will be partnering with other small business in Madison, including the bakery Dough Re Mi, to further demonstrate their dedication to supporting local business and communities.
Chick-fil-A Builds Upon Madison’s Farm-To-Table Culture As the most popular chicken restaurant in the United States, Chick-fil-A has always lead the fast-food industry in health initiatives. For example, Chick-fil-A became the first restaurant to eliminate trans-fat from their menu in 2009 (reference fact sheet). Additionally, by 2019, Chick-fil-A has committed to serve “No Antibiotics Ever” in their food products (reference fact sheet). Local ingredients further illustrate Chick-fil-A’s mission of serving wholesome, fresh and safe ingredients while supporting local farmers. Consumer shifts towards the “farm-to-table” movement has become a driving force behind Chick-fil-A’s decision to go local. Push among consumers for locally sourced products has redefined the restaurant business in urban centers such as Boulder, Palo Alto and Madison. According to data collected from the IBIS: Industry Report, fast-food consumers are increasingly “health-minded” and therefore have a tendency to prefer options in reflection of that. In order to provide the customers what they want, Chick-fil-A has gone a step further than other fast food chicken franchises (KFC and McDonalds) by incorporating farm-fresh ingredients. According to the 2016 Menus of Change report conducted by Harvard University, “The foodservice industry is transforming rapidly to meet consumer demand for healthy, transparent, and convenient food.” Shifts in consumer taste and preference are pushing suppliers to creatively adapt to the market, which is exactly what Chick-fil-A is doing. As a family owned business, Chick-fil-A prioritizes providing a variety of nutritious options for families across the country.
Chick-fil-A has selected Madison as one of the cities for the local partnerships due to Wisconsin’s rich history of agriculture, conservation and farm-to-table dining culture. Not only is Wisconsin one of the largest agricultural hubs in the country, but home to several influential naturalists such as John Muir and Aldo Leopold. According to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau federation, Wisconsin has 77,000 farms in-state and agriculture provides ten percent of the state’s employment. The Dane County Farmers Market is the largest in the country, and connects local farmers and consumers every weekend on the Capitol Square in Madison. Building upon the local culture that appreciates local farmers and fresh ingredients, Chick-fil-A has the opportunity to appeal to consumers that have demonstrated a commitment to choosing farm-fresh options. Beyond meeting consumer demands, Chick-fil-A recognizes the social and environmental impact of using locally sourced chicken. By connecting with local farmers, Chick-fil-A will be engaging with smaller scale operations that are more sustainable and produce better quality chicken which inherently improve the quality of the product. Chick-fil-A is committed to providing safe and high quality chicken to its customers.
Chick-fil-A’s “No Antibiotics Ever” Campaign The quality ingredients are a top priority for consumers, and a top priority for Chick-fil-A. That’s why we’ve made the commitment to establish a strong supply chain of only antibiotics-free chicken to every Chick-fil-A customer across the country by the end of 2019. As of now, over 70% of our chicken is already supplied antibiotic-free, and we’re ahead of pace for meeting our goal. As Chick-fil-A continues to grow we promise to continue searching for new and reliable ways to ensure the utmost quality of our ingredients.
Relevant Articles About Wisconsin Chick-fil-A’s and Local Farmers Chick-fil-A has been committed to working with local organizations to impact community development before introducing the partnerships with local farmers and Dough-Re-Mi. ●
Chick-fil-A Partners With Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, By News Desk ○ Chick-fil-A franchises across southeast Wisconsin will partner with the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee during the month of April to help raise funds for local children in need. Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee is an organization committed to providing free and local food to Wisconsin families in need. ○ “We invite guests to join us in support of this wonderful hospital and the impact they are making on our community.” -Christopher Guthrie, Greendale Franchise Operator
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Chick-fil-A to Host Father-Daughter Celebration, By News Desk ○ Southeastern Wisconsin Chick-fil-A franchises will be hosting a father daughter night on Thursday, April 12 to encourage and foster connections within local communities. This special evening will feature a visit from the Chick-fil-A cow, as well as a few exciting surprises.
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"We understand the importance of father-daughter relationships and want to encourage local dads to take a break from busy schedules, enjoy their daughter's company and have fun!" -Christopher Loweth, Brookfield Square Franchise Operator
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Chick-fil-A Partners With My Brother’s Keeper to Feed Local Workshop, By Eric Lorenzsonn ○ Herzing University and a local Chick-fil-A delivered free meals to attendees of a youth coding and game development workshop put on by My Brother’s on Tuesday, March 29. My Brother’s Keeper is an organization dedicated to supporting young men of color through the unique difficulties they face. ○ “They get two meals today,” “Too many kids only get meals when they’re in school.” -Madison Deputy Mayor Enis Raglan
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Wisconsin Farm to Table Event Supports Local Farmers, By Wisconsin State Farmer ○ Wisconsin organization Wisconsin Farm to Table is hosting its yearly fundraiser celebration Saturday, Aug. 4 to bring together and support local farmers and consumers. Wisconsin Farm to Table is devoted to fostering support between Wisconsin’s agriculture and its residents through the use of locally grown food.