Rustlers is tapping into the UK’s love of fried chicken with a Spicy ranch burger.
Available from Co-op Wholesale, the NPD is designed to bring QSR (quick service restaurants)-style crunchy chicken into the chilled aisle, meeting demand driven by the rapid growth of high street chicken chains.
The Rustlers Spicy Chicken Fillet Burger is made with 100% chicken breast fillet, coated for a crunchy bite and paired with a trending American-style ranch sauce in a seeded brioche bun. Ready in just eight minutes in the air fryer, it targets shoppers seeking convenient meal solutions that replicate out-of-home favourites at home.
The launch comes as 87% of UK consumers eat fried chicken monthly [Middleton Foods using PureSpectrum 2026], with the category continuing to dominate social media and youth culture, amassing over 137 million TikTok views.
Chicken is also the fastest-growing protein across both foodservice and retail [World Panel MFP in Foodservice: Opportunities in and out of home], while demand for “fakeaway” options continues to rise as shoppers look to recreate restaurant experiences at home [Kantar State of the Nation 2025].
Elaine Rothballer, Head of Marketing – Consumer Brands at Kepak, said:
“Chicken isn’t just a trend; it’s a cultural phenomenon. Consumers are actively seeking out that crunchy, indulgent QSR-style experience, and increasingly want to recreate it at home.”
The launch will be supported by in-store and ATL activations.
