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What Does Costco Do With Unsold Chicken?

Published in Food Waste Management 2 mins read

Costco efficiently repurposes unsold, fully-cooked rotisserie chickens into other ready-to-eat food items, aligning with its commitment to reducing food waste across its operations.

What Happens to Unsold Rotisserie Chickens at Costco?

Costco maintains a strong stance against food waste, particularly concerning its popular rotisserie chickens. Instead of discarding them, even if they remain unsold, these perfectly edible but not-quite-ideal chickens are given a new purpose. The company leverages these unwanted yet perfectly good materials as a starting point for crafting other ready-to-eat food items that continue to be sold within their stores. This practice is a direct reflection of Costco's public commitment to cutting down on food waste throughout its entire chain. You can learn more about their food waste reduction efforts here.

Core Principles of Costco's Approach

Costco's strategy for managing unsold rotisserie chickens is built upon several key principles, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and efficient resource utilization:

  • No Discarding: A fundamental rule is that whole, fully-cooked rotisserie chickens, even if they don't sell immediately, are not typically thrown away. They remain perfectly edible and valuable.
  • Repurposing as Ingredients: The primary method for utilizing these chickens is to transform them into components for other prepared foods. This ensures their continued use and value.
  • Commitment to Food Waste Reduction: This practice is part of a broader, company-wide initiative aimed at significantly reducing food waste across all Costco locations.

Summary of Costco's Unsold Chicken Policy

To illustrate Costco's systematic approach to handling unsold rotisserie chickens, consider the following key aspects:

Aspect Description
Fate of Unsold Chickens Not typically thrown away, even if they are no longer ideal for direct rotisserie chicken sale.
Condition Whole, fully-cooked, and perfectly edible, though they may have passed their prime "fresh from the rotisserie" window.
Utilization Method Used as a starting point or ingredient for other ready-to-eat food items available within the store.
Underlying Principle A core component of Costco's public commitment to dramatically reduce food waste across its entire operational chain.

This strategic repurposing not only minimizes waste but also contributes to the creation of a variety of other popular convenience foods for shoppers.