Since opening the doors of its first restaurant in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, Zaxbys has become a nationally recognized player in the fast-casual restaurant industry. There are more than 900 U. S. locations serving fried chicken fingers and wings. And though Zaxbys is primarily in the Southeast, it has more than made the most of its domain. As of 2021, QSR ranked Zaxbys the No. 24 overall quick-service restaurant franchise in America and No. 5 in the chicken segment, behind only Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and Wingstop.
Today, were looking at the behind-the-scenes story of Zaxbys and how it has prospered for more than 30 years and counting. Even with the chains success, some of the most fascinating things about the company are the least known. Where did the idea come from? How has Zaxbys risen in the crowded chicken market to post annual sales of more than $2 billion? And why does the chain add Zs to so many food names? Weve answered those questions and many others — complete with sides of dipping sauce.
Where Does Zaxby’s Get Their Chicken From? A Close Look at Their Sourcing Practices
As a fast-growing chicken chain with devoted fans, Zaxby’s is all about serving up quality chicken in a fun, casual environment. Their signature hand-breaded chicken tenders, wings, and sandwiches are crave-worthy favorites across the South and beyond.
But for many customers, an important question looms: where exactly does Zaxby’s source their chicken from?
Understanding a restaurant’s supply chain and sourcing practices is crucial these days. Customers want transparency about how their food is raised and prepared At Zaxby’s, quality chicken is central to their brand So it’s no surprise they put careful thought into their chicken sourcing.
We will take a close look at how Zaxby’s gets their chicken for their famous menu items in this article. We’ll cover suppliers, sourcing standards, and sustainability efforts. Find out where this well-known chicken chain gets their main ingredient by reading on!
Zaxby’s Core Suppliers
Zaxby’s does not publicly disclose all of their specific chicken suppliers However, we can piece together an understanding based on supplier awards, industry reports, and company statements
The core of Zaxby’s chicken supply chain consists of large U.S. poultry companies. Two major suppliers are Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods. Both are leading chicken processors based in Arkansas.
Pilgrim’s Pride has an established relationship with Zaxby’s. They’ve been named Zaxby’s “Poultry Supplier of the Year” more than once, most recently in 2005 and 2006. This award recognizes outstanding service and product quality.
In the meantime, Tyson Foods has said in investor presentations and reports that they sell chicken to Zaxby’s. As one of the largest U. S. When it comes to meat suppliers, Tyson Foods can meet Zaxby’s large chicken needs.
Regional or smaller suppliers may play a role too. But Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods are positioned as mainstay partners that allow Zaxby’s to source reliable quantities of chicken across their hundreds of locations.
Prioritizing Domestic Sourcing
In keeping with their connection to Southern culture, Zaxby’s emphasizes domestic sourcing. Their suppliers source most Zaxby’s chickens from farms across the U.S.
Regional farms help maintain control and accountability within the supply chain. Farms in the Southeast and Midwest provide proximity to many Zaxby’s locations as well.
Imported chicken does not appear to be a significant part of Zaxby’s procurement. Supply chain experts note that Zaxby’s practices align with “Made in the USA” sourcing approaches.
While international supply chains do offer certain advantages, Zaxby’s strategy allows for tighter oversight of chicken quality and handling. It also supports U.S. poultry producers and nearby rural economies.
Meeting Rigorous Quality Standards
Zaxby’s has very strict rules for its suppliers about quality control, animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability. They keep an eye on how well their suppliers are doing by having regular internal and third-party audits.
Suppliers must meet requirements in areas like:
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Animal welfare: adequate free movement, comfort, low stress environments
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Food safety: strict sanitation, prevention of contamination
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Traceability: clear tracking from farm through processing facility
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Sustainability: efficient resource use, limited environmental impact
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Transportation: meticulous temperature control and shipping procedures
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Handling: gentle treatment that maintains freshness and integrity of chicken meat
Suppliers that fail to satisfy standards risk being dropped. Zaxby’s makes it clear they will not tolerate subpar conditions or products that might jeopardize food quality.
By upholding exacting requirements, Zaxby’s can deliver exceptionally fresh, safe chicken to customers time after time. Their standards exceed typical industry norms.
An Emphasis on Sustainability
In recent years, sustainability has become a priority across Zaxby’s supply chain. The company recognizes that supporting more sustainable chicken production is crucial for suppliers’ longevity and, in turn, their own success.
Zaxby’s sustainability efforts include:
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Encouraging improved animal welfare practices and farm management strategies. This increases efficiency while maintaining ethical standards.
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Pushing suppliers to implement more sustainable water usage, energy consumption, waste disposal, and packaging. This reduces environmental impact.
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Building more resilient, future-focused supply chains. By boosting resilience, suppliers can better withstand disruptions like diseases, climate events, or other shocks.
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Supporting innovation of new technologies that promote sustainability. Zaxby’s suppliers are continually evolving to deploy solutions such as methane digesters, solar energy, and recycled materials usage.
Through collaboration and investment, Zaxby’s and its suppliers are working to integrate sustainability into every aspect of chicken production. Although progress can seem slow, these efforts are paying dividends for a greener supply chain.
Maintaining Quality From Farm to Restaurant
Simply sourcing quality chicken is only half the battle. Zaxby’s must ensure that premium freshness and standards are maintained every step of the way before chicken reaches the restaurant.
To accomplish this, Zaxby’s implements tight controls across the supply chain:
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Suppliers follow optimal protocols for transporting and handling chicken, including meticulous temperature regulation. This prevents degradation of quality.
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Chicken is rigorously inspected upon receipt by Zaxby’s distribution centers. They reject any substandard products.
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Zaxby’s restaurants have procedures for proper on-site storage, prep, cooking, and serving to lock in quality.
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Stringent food safety measures are followed continuously from farm to table.
By integrating suppliers as partners, Zaxby’s can guarantee quality literally from conception of the chicken all the way through to the finished menu item. This “seed to sandwich” approach is crucial for delivering exceptional taste and freshness.
The Bottom Line
When you bite into Zaxby’s chicken, you’re tasting the result of a lot of care and effort earlier in the process. From the supplier relationships they cultivate to the standards they maintain across their supply chain, Zaxby’s takes sourcing seriously.
While the exact farm sources may vary based on specific region, season, and market factors, you can rest assured Zaxby’s is serving up quality chicken raised in a responsible manner. That’s what keeps fans coming back again and again for their chicken fix!
Zaxby’s has the fastest-growing restaurant app
In modern fast food and fast-casual dining, good mobile apps are key to success. In October 2022 alone, the McDonalds app was downloaded 4. 4 million times, and the top 10 quick-service restaurants combined for 12. 3 million app downloads.
Zaxbys, meanwhile, made major mobile inroads in 2022. Over the course of October, the Chains app got the seventh-most downloads, and its engagement rose more than anyone else’s, rising by 317 percent for the year. This was nearly double Zaxbys nearest quick-service competitor Jersey Mikes, which came in at 176%.
There were two possible reasons for the surge. One was the introduction of Zaxbys Signature Chicken Sandwich, and the other is the relaunch of the Zax Rewardz program — which Newsweek, working with Statista, named one of the years best loyalty programs. According to Zaxbys marketing chief Patrick Schwing, rewards registrations more than doubled year-over-year after the relaunch, showing just how much a good program can excite customers.
Zaxby’s was a player in the Chicken Sandwich Wars
The Chicken Sandwich Wars have been well-known in the fast food industry over the last few years, drawing in everyone from McDonalds to Boston Market. On October 27, 2020, Zaxbys entered the ring with its new Signature Sandwich. This was done in a way that only Zaxby’s could: with a tweet that asked, “Yall ready?” and made a reference to the first social media post between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, which is seen as the start of the “war.” Initial Zaxbys ads also poked fun at people thinking the sandwich wars were over.
At the time, Joel Bulger, Zaxbys CMO, told QSR that the sandwich had gone through several rounds of testing, showing the chains commitment to getting things right. Zaxbys continued to play the chicken sandwich long game by starting with a limited test release before offering the Signature Sandwich at all restaurants beginning the following March. The approach appears to have paid off, as a month later, Zaxbys won the inaugural Fasties award for best fried chicken sandwich among fast-casual restaurants. In March 2022, the Signature Club Sandwich joined the lineup — which added bacon and American cheese — while the original Signature Sandwich officially became a permanent menu item.
Zaxby’s Coming Soon the Rio Grande Valley- First Location in McAllen, TX in Summer 2025!
FAQ
Who do Zaxbys get their chicken from?
Used To Be Mar Jack supplied your chicken for Zaxby’s now they’re buying Columbia Farms cheaper chicken. That’s a fact of how the chicken business works. Dec 23, 2024.
Who is Zaxby’s chicken supplier?
Pilgrim’s Pride Named ‘Poultry Supplier of the Year’ By Zaxby’s | Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation.
Who is Zaxbys food distributor?
Since 2017, ArrowStream has had a great relationship with Zaxby’s. ArrowStream has over 1,300 distribution centers, 9,000 manufacturers, and 300 top brands in over 105,000 restaurant locations.
Does Zaxbys use real chicken?
Yes, Zaxby’s chicken is real chicken. Specifically, their chicken fingers are made from hand-breaded, whole muscle chicken breast meat. While some online forums say the chicken tenders used to be made fresh in-house, Zaxby’s now uses a processed, frozen strip that is injected with salt and water before being frozen.
Does Zaxby’s have chicken?
As if there weren’t already enough combatants duking it out in the fast food chicken wars, there’s one southern chain you may still want to know about: Zaxby’s. For over 30 years, this chain has specialized in the art of chicken. Its menu features a veritable rainbow of poultry, including chicken fingers, sandwiches, wings, and much more.
Where are Zaxby’s chicken restaurants located?
More than a quarter of Zaxby’s locations are in its home state of Georgia. And even that’s small compared to some regionally focused chicken chains. For instance, 43% of all Bojangles locations are in North Carolina, and 41% of Church’s Chicken restaurants are in Texas.
Why does Zaxby’s have a’middle ground’ between Burgers and fried chicken?
Industry insiders and reporters say it’s because the chain goes out of its way to stand apart from the competition. Food writer Larry Olmsted once opined that, by largely sticking to chicken fingers and chicken wings, Zaxby’s had found a “middle ground” between burgers and classic fried chicken (via USA Today).
Does Zaxby’s have jerk sauce?
Kate Dolan, the corporate chef for Golden State Foods, said that the peppers, mango, and spices in the sweet and spicy Caribbean Jerk Sauce went well together. So, if you’re going to Zaxby’s for its chicken, there’s a decent chance that you’ll want to grab one or more of its sauces and dressings to make your fast food chicken journey truly complete.
Does Zaxby’s have a ‘guy on a buffalo wing’ ad?
Zaxby’s is one of those brands that certainly has a long list of fun, interesting, and mouth-watering ads that may also cause many to scratch their heads instead of driving to the nearest Zaxby’s franchise to get more chicken. In January 2022, Zaxby’s released an ad campaign dubbed “Guy on a Buffalo Wing” (via YouTube).
How did Zaxby’s co-founder Zach McLeroy get off the ground?
What might be surprising, however, is just how Zaxby’s co-founder Zach McLeroy managed to get his chicken chain off the ground. The man didn’t always want to be a restaurant owner, it turns out. In fact, he first wanted to pursue a music career before the chicken business came calling.