The UK’s fast-food landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, particularly within the chicken sector.
With imminent UK launches for MB Chicken, Chick-fil-A, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Carl’s Jr. and the recent arrival of Popeyes and Wingstop, competition in the fast-food chicken market is heating up.
In the first nine months of 2024, chicken chains experienced a remarkable 12.3% growth in store numbers, significantly outpacing other sectors. However, this coincided with a 3.5% decline in traffic for established chains, indicating potential cannibalization within the category with the newcomers taking a bite out of the existing market. The West Midlands and the North West enjoyed the largest number of new store openings.
Are we witnessing a revitalization, or does this rapid expansion threaten to saturate the marketplace, making it more challenging for any single player to thrive?
Burger chains have a third more outlets per 100,000 people than chicken (3.5 vs. 2.3), demonstrating significant potential for growth still remains in the Chicken sector.
The next few months will be critical in determining whether this expansion signifies a golden opportunity for the industry. Location, customer traffic, pricing, and promotions will be key performance indicators for chains as they either defend their positions, or challenge for a new or greater share in the market.
Meaningful Vision closely monitors these trends and provides detailed insights to help businesses navigate this dynamic market.
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