Barber Foods Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Barber Foods Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Portland, Maine – While some consider a 60th birthday a gateway to the Golden Years, Barber Foods, the nation’s No. 1 brand of stuffed chicken breasts, is gearing up for life after 60 with a fresh look and new recipes. The brand is honoring its hometown roots of Portland, Maine, while seizing the breadth and depth of its owner, AdvancePierre Foods, to reinvigorate the frozen food aisle and breathe new life into a family mealtime favorite.

The brand’s stuffed chicken breast line underwent eight months of research and development, which included a complete ingredient review, a processing assessment and product testing. The product transformation includes new techniques that will deliver a more flavorful breast of chicken, a home-style flour breading and more and better filling to ensure each chicken breast is bursting with flavorful ingredients.

David Barber – whose father Gus founded Barber Foods with one employee, a sharp butcher knife and an old truck – explains how the decision to celebrate the milestone with a brand refresh was considered. “With Barber commanding nearly 70 percent of the frozen stuffed chicken breast market, we challenged ourselves ‘Why mess with a good thing?’” he explains. “We wanted to remain ‘true’ to our loyal customers, yet recognized that innovation is the cornerstone of Barber … if not for the intrepid thinking that led to the brand’s premium stuffed chicken entrees in 1970, my family’s legacy would have never gotten off of the ground. With the support of the AdvancePierre team and resources, celebrating 60 years by making the best frozen stuffed chicken breasts even better was a no-brainer.”

Extensive product testing with both Barber customers and other category customers confirmed significantly higher product and brand ratings and a big jump in purchase intent.

The Portland facility is undergoing more than $1 million in capital improvements, with the first production of the new stuffed chicken breasts scheduled for late June. When product hits the shelves in July, consumers will be met with a brand-new logo and package design that prominently displays a savory product visual and honors the brand’s heritage and its hometown of Portland.

“Barber is a top-notch brand and one we’re proud to stand behind,” said John Simons, President & CEO of AdvancePierre Foods. “When Barber Foods joined the AdvancePierre family in 2011, we knew that we were building something special: the ideal value-added protein and sandwich assembly platform. Today, we’re excited that our union – and this investment in our product portfolio – is delivering on our mission of delighting our customers with great-tasting food.”

Barber Foods’ premium stuffed chicken breasts and other chicken products are sold in retail grocery, club and foodservice channels across the country.