
Skinny Butcher in Detroit, which earlier this year rolled out its line of plant-based protein poultry items including Crazy Crispy Chick’n products, today announced it is expanding across the country at Costco, Walmart, and Safeway locations.
“Major chains were eager to learn about our proprietary formula of plant-based products that are virtually indistinguishable from their animal-based comparables,” says Dave Zilko, CEO of Skinny Butcher and former vice chairman of Garden Fresh Gourmet in Ferndale.
“There are a variety of plant-based options currently on the market, but nothing that is sustainable, soy and palm oil-free, (and) employs our unique breading system. …”
In conjunction with Golden West Food Group, Skinny Butcher has created a product employing pea protein and a progressive vegetable fiber strain. Additionally, the combination of a tasty product and a brand personality of the Skinny Butcher, Zilko says, attracts consumers to the point of sale, leading to a winning formula for merchants.
“Our team of culinary professionals have created everything from classic favorites to trend-setting plant-based alternatives using the latest processing and cooking technologies,” says Zack Levenson, COO at Golden West Food Group. “We are excited to share our collaboration with Skinny Butcher that showcases our continued innovation.”
Shoppers can currently find Skinny Butcher’s Crazy Crispy Chick’n products, which include “Chick’n and Turk’y patties,” along with “Spicy Chick’n Nuggets,” in the following retailers and locations:
- Costco — Northern California, Midwestern United States, and select Utah locations
- Walmart — all U.S. locations
- Safeway — Mid-Atlantic, Seattle, and Intermountain
“We are confident that consumers will be drawn in by the butcher’s endearing wink, but especially wowed by restaurant-quality food available at their favorite stores,” says Zilko, an operating partner at Huron Capital in Detroit and chairman of FUEL Leadership, an emerging digital media property specializing in the university communication space.
Zilko recently was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Entrepreneurs Association.
Skinny Butcher launched in March, and today its line of plant-based protein poultry items are offered nationally both at retail and via a unique virtual kitchen program.
Golden West Food Group, a manufacturer of food products with headquarters in Vernon, Calif., offers thousands of products nationwide to a variety of customers in food service, military, private label, and retail channels, including grocery, club, and mass merchant.
For more information, visit https://skinnybutcher.com/.