More wings please! With a new production line capable of churning out another 42+ million pounds of chicken wings each year, Wayne-Sanderson Farms is delivering on demands from customers and consumers to produce more wing products. The new line is in full production, and thousands of pounds of Crispy Fliers, Buffaloo and Flying Saucers are already enroute to restaurants, food service operators and distributors across the country.

Company officials note that wing demand shows no signs of slowing as we head into late summer and early fall 2022. “We expect sales to increase as word spreads about our new capability,” said Keri Hart, Wayne-Sanderson Farms brand manager, who oversees marketing of the portfolio of wing products. “As COVID restrictions ease, out-of-home dining numbers are picking up and America’s love of chicken wings continues to soar”, noted Hart, adding that the diminutive delicacy is flying from restaurant kitchens, retail display cases and right off the grill in record numbers.

Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ Decatur Prepared Foods complex can produce both steamed and roasted bone-in wing products, with Line 51’s twin-drum oven and spiral freezer set-up running two shifts to meet demand from existing customers and accommodate new orders. The company enjoys long-standing partnerships with some of the nation’s leading consumer brands, providing insights on demand and preference that lead to the investment in a new wing production line, acknowledged Tom Bell, Wayne Farms vice president of prepared foods.

“Our customers wanted more product because wings are winners on every table,” noted Bell. “Practically every restaurant segment—from quick-serve to fine-dining—has a wing offering somewhere on their menu. People love wings, and we want our customers to have those products available.”

With the average person consuming about 16 wings per sitting, it’s no surprise that US consumers downed more than 1.4 billion wings during this year’s Super Bowl. In fact, the average person eats about 290 wings each year, or about 17,000 in a lifetime. Nearly 60 percent of Americans said they would be willing to eat chicken wings for Thanksgiving dinner.

And wings do more than light up the taste buds. Nutritionists report that when properly prepared, wing and chicken consumption is good for overall health, boosting the immune system, increasing growth of new cells, connective tissue and cartilage, even regulating brain activity and chasing away depression. For flavor, simplicity and wholesomeness, American grills, tables and menus tell the story—more wings please.