St Pierre’s director Nick Katsoulis says the new free range chicken options are just another example of the company listening to what their customers want - from a taste and an ethics point of view.

“We posted a Facebook status several months ago asking if St Pierre’s customers would be interested in buying free range chicken and it caused the biggest discussion we’ve ever had on our page, so we decided to give our customers the option of buying free range chicken,” Mr Katsoulis says.

“These days people are very conscious about the ingredients they eat and where they come from. At St Pierre’s we have always aimed to be leaders in healthy fast food, so it’s fitting that we raise the bar again,” he says.

“The standard chickens that we buy are barn raised not caged, but it’s good to know free range chickens can go outside and enjoy a more natural life. For an average of 60 cents increase on an eight pack of sushi, it’s a small price to pay to be part of something so much bigger.”

The company, which has have 40 sushi outlets in New Zealand, introduced free range chicken to the menu across all stores this month, alongside its standard chicken sushi varieties. Already the feedback has been that while the conventional chicken option is tasty, the free range offering is even tastier!

“The feedback has been very encouraging - trials in all St Pierre’s stores showed immediate sales pick up with positive feedback and direct comments from customers who congratulated the move,” Mr Katsoulis says. “Canterbury is leading the way with customers showing the greatest uptake of free range chicken so far.”

St Pierre’s stores cook over 150,000kgs of fresh chicken for their famous teriyaki chicken sushi every year, and Mr Katsoulis says the short term goal is to make free range chicken 20% of total chicken sales for St Pierre’s within the next 3 years.

“Internationally companies, such as Chipotle and Wholefoods in the USA, have been very successful by focusing on free range and organic foods and we are expecting to see this trend grow in New Zealand.”

A spokesperson from Waitoa is thrilled to be a part of St Pierre’s pioneering new move. “We are delighted to be working with St Pierre’s as they introduce this delicious free range option for their customers, catering for the increasing demand in the New Zealand market for free range chicken.”

Waitoa chickens are certified free range and are raised on grassy paddocks with shelter and shade, where they are able to forage for their own food, as well as eat the high quality grain they’re provided with.

St Pierre’s is a NZ owned family-business that uses highest quality natural ingredients sourced from NZ and Japan.