Barber Foods Celebrates 60 Years, Introduces Product Enhancements
Stuffed chicken breast leader unveils new packaging, recipes
PORTLAND, Maine, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- While some consider a 60th birthday a gateway to the Golden Years, Barber Foods, the nation's No. 1 brand of stuffed chicken breasts, is gearing up for life after 60 with a fresh look and new recipes. The brand is honoring its hometown roots of Portland, Maine, while seizing the breadth and depth of its owner, AdvancePierre Foods, to reinvigorate the frozen food aisle and breathe new life into a family mealtime favorite.
The brand's stuffed chicken breast line underwent eight months of research and development, which included a complete ingredient review, a processing assessment and product testing. The product transformation includes new techniques that will deliver a more flavorful breast of chicken, a home-style flour breading and more and better filling to ensure each chicken breast is bursting with flavorful ingredients.
David Barber – whose father Gus founded Barber Foods with one employee, a sharp butcher knife and an old truck – explains how the decision to celebrate the milestone with a brand refresh was considered. "With Barber commanding nearly 70 percent of the frozen stuffed chicken breast market, we challenged ourselves 'Why mess with a good thing?'" he explains. "We wanted to remain 'true' to our loyal customers, yet recognized that innovation is the cornerstone of Barber … if not for the intrepid thinking that led to the brand's premium stuffed chicken entrees in 1970, my family's legacy would have never gotten off of the ground. With the support of the AdvancePierre team and resources, celebrating 60 years by making the best frozen stuffed chicken breasts even better was a no-brainer."
Extensive product testing with both Barber customers and other category customers confirmed significantly higher product and brand ratings and a big jump in purchase intent.
The Portland facility is undergoing more than $1 million in capital improvements, with the first production of the new stuffed chicken breasts scheduled for late June. When product hits the shelves in July, consumers will be met with a brand-new logo and package design that prominently displays a savory product visual and honors the brand's heritage and its hometown of Portland.
"Barber is a top-notch brand and one we're proud to stand behind," said John Simons, President & CEO of AdvancePierre Foods. "When Barber Foods joined the AdvancePierre family in 2011, we knew that we were building something special: the ideal value-added protein and sandwich assembly platform. Today, we're excited that our union – and this investment in our product portfolio – is delivering on our mission of delighting our customers with great-tasting food."
Barber Foods' premium stuffed chicken breasts and other chicken products are sold in retail grocery, club and foodservice channels across the country.
About Barber Foods
Barber Foods, headquartered in Portland, Maine, is the creator and market leader of frozen stuffed chicken breasts. In 1955, founder Gus Barber opened a corner meat shop in Portland and, through hard work, commitment to improvement and willingness to try anything and everything, rapidly grew the company. Committed to diversity, Barber's more than 300 associates, representing more than 35 countries, work in a 250,000-square-foot facility in Portland. AdvancePierre Foods acquired Barber in 2011 and upholds Barber's pledge to bring customers the quality, freshness and value that they have come to expect and to prepare products with the highest quality standards in the food industry. Learn more at www.barberfoods.com.
About AdvancePierre Foods
AdvancePierre™ Foods, Inc., headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a nationally recognized manufacturer and marketer of value-added proteins and sandwich products to a wide variety of distribution outlets including foodservice, retail and convenience store providers. With revenues of $1.6 billion and more than 4,000 employees, AdvancePierre offers a broad line of packaged sandwiches; fully cooked beef, chicken, and pork products; uncooked meat items such as Philly-style steak, breaded beef and stuffed chicken entrees; and bakery products that are all produced from high-quality ingredients and provide unparalleled taste, convenience and value to both operators and their patrons. Funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., a Los Angeles-based investment firm, is the majority shareholder of AdvancePierre Foods.
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SOURCE AdvancePierre Foods
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