Applegate Farms, LLC Expands Chicken Product Line with APPLEGATE NATURALS® Lightly Breaded Chicken Tenders and Popcorn Chicken

Made with Applegate Humanely Raised¹ all white meat chicken, these lightly breaded, gluten-free frozen offerings bring crispy and delicious protein to dinner plates in minutes. 

BEDMINSTER, N.J., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- APPLEGATE^®, the nation's leading natural and organic meat brand, is proud to introduce two new additions to its frozen chicken portfolio: APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Lightly Breaded Chicken Tenders and APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Lightly Breaded Popcorn Chicken. Made with all whole cuts of white meat chicken that is Applegate Humanely Raised ¹ with no antibiotics ever, the new Lightly Breaded line is gluten-free and packed with crispy, craveable flavor from natural, minimally processed ingredients.

With 12-14 grams of protein per serving and a gluten-free rice flour coating, the Lightly Breaded line has two fewer grams of carbs and two more grams of protein per serving than APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Gluten Free Chicken Breast Tenders. As with Applegate's other frozen offerings, APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Lightly Breaded Chicken Tenders and Popcorn Chicken are ready in minutes. The two new offerings come in resealable 'family size' bags for added convenience. 

"Applegate's Lightly Breaded product expansion fills American's hunger for more delicious, easy-to-make protein options available right from their freezer, " said Joseph O'Connor, President of Applegate. "With Lightly Breaded, we've dialed back on the breading for extra crispiness and continue to deliver the nutritious and high-quality chicken Applegate is known for. We know it'll be a hit with chicken tenders and popcorn chicken fans -- including those who are concerned with or sensitive to gluten!"

In the Frozen Breaded Chicken category, Applegate has a repeat purchase rate that's 1.9 times higher than the category average². Applegate hopes to extend its success in the aisle with the introduction of the Lightly Breaded line, bringing 14 offerings now to shelf, including natural and organic lines, as well as gluten-free options.

APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Lightly Breaded Chicken Tenders and Popcorn Chicken will be available on store shelves at select retailers including Whole Foods, Stop & Shop and Demoulas in May 2025 and has an MSRP of $12.99-14.99.

For more information, visit www.applegate.com or connect with us on social media at https://www.instagram.com/applegate/, www.facebook.com/applegate.

About Applegate Farms LLC
Founded in 1987, Applegate Farms, LLC produces high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. Our products are made without GMO ingredients, and we source from farms where animals are treated with care and respect, pursuant to our Applegate Humanely Raised ¹ guidelines, and are allowed to grow at their natural rate, all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat^®.

Natural can mean many things, but to Applegate natural means our food is:

• From animals Applegate Humanely Raised¹ without antibiotics, added hormones or growth promotants
• From animals fed a vegetarian or pasture-centered diet (our beef is 100 percent grass-fed)
• Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
• Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives

Applegate became a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015. For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com or talk with us on www.facebook.com/Applegate, or send a text to (908) 725-5800.

^{1 - Applegate Humanely Raised is a system that raises animals with space to engage in natural behaviors to promote natural growth.}

^{2 - Nielsen x-AOC latest 52 weeks ending 3.30.24}

SOURCE APPLEGATE