National Chicken Council Forges New Ground in Food Transparency with Launch of Immersive Virtual Reality Experience

With Nearly 90% of Consumers Interested in Additional Information about Chicken, New 360° Virtual Tour of Chicken Production in U.S. Satisfies Consumers' Hunger for More

News provided by

The National Chicken Council

Jul 25, 2018, 06:00 ET

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As per capita chicken consumption breaks a new record in 2018 and consumers express a growing interest in where their food comes from, the National Chicken Council (NCC)—the United States' oldest and largest national association representing the U.S. broiler chicken industry (chickens raised for meat)—has developed a series of 360° virtual reality videos showing the various stages of chicken's life during modern, commercial production. The new experience is part of NCC's Chicken Check In program, which serves as a resource for consumers to get the information they seek about how most meat chickens are raised.

The Hatchery: Chickens begin their life in hatcheries, where fertilized eggs (not table eggs) are incubated and hatched into chickens that are raised for meat.

The Broiler Chicken Farm: Once the chicks are hatched, they are transported that day to local farms where chickens are raised by farmers with oversight from licensed veterinarians.

The Processing Plant: When chickens reach the proper market weight, they leave the farm and are transported to the processing plant where they are humanely slaughtered and processed under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The chicken ultimately goes to grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, etc.

The virtual reality experience is launched on the heels of a new national survey revealing that nearly 90 percent* of consumers are interested in deeper information about the chicken they buy and eat. Additionally, nearly 40 percent* of consumers indicate information about "how chickens are cared for" as one of the top topics they care about most.

"We know that people want more information about chicken production and that most have not visited a chicken farm, so we are bringing the farm to them," said Tom Super, spokesperson for the National Chicken Council. "Through our virtual reality tours, viewers are able to see the way most chickens are hatched, raised and processed in the U.S. - it's a fully immersive experience."

The virtual reality videos of the chickens' life stages, can be viewed on a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop, with or without a headset. Viewers are able to watch the video in a traditional manner from a two-dimensional perspective, but unlike passively watching, the video can now rotate to see up, down, front, back, and side- to-side from the original starting point.

Bringing the Chicken Farm to Consumers
In the virtual reality series, consumers can experience the three 360° video segments.

The Hatchery: Chickens begin their life in hatcheries, where fertilized eggs (not table eggs) are incubated and hatched into chickens that are raised for meat.

The Broiler Chicken Farm: Once the chicks are hatched, they are transported that day to local farms where chickens are raised by farmers with oversight from licensed veterinarians.

The Processing Plant: When chickens reach the proper market weight, they leave the farm and are transported to the processing plant where they are humanely slaughtered and processed under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The chicken ultimately goes to grocery stores, restaurants, cafeterias, etc.

"The virtual reality experience is a natural extension of the Chicken Check In program, which invites consumers to see how chickens are raised and produced in the U.S.," said Super. "We're proud to give a close look at our birds, their lives and how they get to our tables. We plan to bring the experience to consumers not only online, but to trade shows, schools, and various other events."

You can view the 360° videos on a mobile phone, tablet or desktop, with or without a headset. To view on your desktop, you'll need the latest version of Chrome or Firefox.

*Survey Methodology

The survey was commissioned by the National Chicken Council and conducted online by ORC International June 4-7, 2018, among 1,004 adults. Funding was provided by Elanco, Truow Nutrition, WATT Global Media and IRI. Click here to access a full copy of the report.

About The National Chicken Council

The National Chicken Council is a non-profit trade association headquartered in Washington, D.C. that represents chicken producer-processors, the companies that produce and process chickens raised for meat. Member companies of the council account for more than 95 percent of the chicken sold in the United States.

About Chicken Check In

NCC invites Americans to visit Chicken Check In to learn more about how the chicken they purchase and feed their families is raised. The site offers consumers the opportunity to get a close look at how chickens are raised, from the farm to grocery store shelves. From videos to answers to frequently asked questions, Chicken Check In is a resource for consumers to get the information they are seeking about chicken care.

For additional information, visit www.ChickenCheck.in. For chicken recipes, safe handling tips and food safety information, visit www.ChickenRoost.com.

SOURCE The National Chicken Council