Chick-fil-A launches bottled sauce for retail and wholesale

Chick-fil-A is debuting its popular Polynesian sauce and signature Chick-fil-A sauce at retailers in Florida. The success of this pilot will determine whether the company launches its bottled sauce nationwide later in 2020.

Launched in early March, these two sauce options are sold in 16-fluid ounce (473 ml) containers in all Florida Publix, Target, Walmart and Winn-Dixie stores. Each bottle will sell for $3.49.

“Chick-fil-A Sauce and Polynesian Sauce are our two most popular sauces, so we are extremely excited to offer them at select retail stores outside of the restaurant,” said Michael Patrick, principal program lead, Beyond the Restaurant in a release.

In addition to bottled sauce in supermarkets, the chicken sandwich company will simultaneously release 8-fluid ounce (473 ml) bottles of all its Chick-fil-A, Polynesian, Barbeque, Honey Mustard and Garden Herb Ranch Sauces at participating locations of the fast food chain. These mini-bottles of sauce will be made available for purchase at the restaurant and will also be given out as a complementary condiment option for catering orders beginning in mid-March. The company’s remaining two sauces - Sweet & Spicy Sriracha and Zesty Buffalo – are provided in individual packets.

Although this is Chick-fil-A’s first endeavor into retail sales, it is preceded by many other companies that have found success. GlobalIcons, a company that assists business expand through licensing deals, released a study in 2015 showing that 90% of the restaurant brands in supermarket aisles today entered the space within the last six years.

From California Pizza Kitchen to Starbucks, restaurants have flooded grocery isles with their brands and the results are lucrative. In 2017, GlobalIcons released data showing that California Pizza Kitchen has captured nearly 13% of the frozen pizza category in retail and that its licensing arm generates $150 million in annual retail sales.

While Chick-fil-A has not yet committed to a nationwide expansion, it will be entering the grocery retail space in good company. Going forward, its expansion looks likely in light of the popularity of branded restaurant retail with consumers.