No parts left behind? Exploring pros and cons of cooking whole chicken dishes at homes in Germany

TL;DR

This study explores German consumers' attitudes and experiences with cooking whole chickens at home, revealing both interest and challenges in promoting whole-carcass poultry.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel consumer segmentation approach for whole chicken marketing in Germany.

Findings

Chicken soup was significantly more liked than chicken fricassee.

56% of participants had a positive attitude toward using whole chickens.

Household income and cooking skills influenced acceptance and willingness to pay.

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of alternative diets, meat consumption in Germany remains high. Poultry is particularly popular, with breasts and legs being the most in demand. Whole chickens, however, play a negligible role in marketing, which is problematic from an ecological perspective. This study examined the potential of whole-carcass marketing of female laying local chicken breeds in German households by means of a Home Use test. Overall, 108 participants prepared and evaluated two dishes, advised by a cooking kit, each with a different breed and all needed ingredients. While the home-cooked chicken soup received significantly higher overall liking scores than the chicken fricassee (p = .017), the chicken breed itself had no significant effect on overall liking. A consumer segmentation approach based on attitudinal items revealed that 56 % of participants showed a positive attitude toward using whole chickens, while 25 % found the preparation too time-consuming, and another 19 % expressed feelings of disgust. Household income, family structure, cooking skills additionally influenced both acceptance and willingness to pay. After an informational text, willingness to pay for local breeds did not increase. The findings provide valuable insights into consumer segmentation and highlight both opportunities and barriers to marketing of whole chicken in Germany.

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