Real Good Foods Claims Top Spot in Frozen Chicken by Unit Velocity
The high-protein frozen food brand says it now leads the frozen chicken category by unit velocity, backed by retail distribution spanning Walmart, Kroger, Sam's Club, and other major chains.
- Founded
- 2018, with Chicken Crust Pizzas and Mini Enchiladas, per the company
- Key retailers
- Walmart, Kroger, Sam's Club, H-E-B, Publix and Costco, per the company
- 2025 innovation award
- NielsenIQ BASES Breakthrough Innovation Award winner, per the company
- Category claim
- No. 1 frozen chicken brand by unit velocity, per the company
Real Good Foods, the high-protein frozen food company, says it has reached the number-one position in frozen chicken measured by unit velocity, a milestone the company attributes to sustained consumer demand for high-protein, lower-carb convenience foods. Based in Bolingbrook, Illinois, the brand positions its lightly breaded chicken line as a higher-protein, gluten-free alternative to conventional frozen chicken, and its retail footprint now spans Walmart, Kroger, Sam's Club, H-E-B, Publix, and Costco, per the company.
Real Good Foods launched in 2018 with just two products, Chicken Crust Pizzas and Mini Enchiladas, sold directly from its website, per the company. Early distribution came through an unconventional route: the team independently installed more than 1,000 freezers and placed product at Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, and independent health stores before breaking into major chains. The portfolio has since expanded to include chicken fillets, nuggets, strips, meatballs, handhelds, and entrees, with a January 2026 launch of flour tortillas extending the brand into shelf-stable products. In October 2025, NielsenIQ recognized the brand's Lightly Breaded Chicken with a BASES Breakthrough Innovation Award, per the company.
The velocity claim builds on a pattern the brand has pointed to across consecutive periods of SPINS retail scanner data, per earlier company releases. The brand launched a seed-oil-free breaded chicken line in July 2025 and has flagged GLP-1-friendly positioning on its packaging, moves that align with two of the most discussed consumer trends in the better-for-you food space.
Why it matters
Unit velocity, which measures sales per store per week rather than aggregate dollar volume, is the primary metric retailers use when allocating freezer-aisle shelf space and evaluating category resets. A brand that leads on velocity carries real negotiating leverage with buyers, and the frozen chicken aisle, long controlled by legacy volume brands, is increasingly contested. Real Good Foods reaching the top velocity position, if sustained, would signal that protein-forward reformulation has moved from niche to mainstream in one of the grocery store's highest-traffic frozen categories.
What to watch
The central question is whether Real Good Foods can defend its velocity lead as larger frozen food companies accelerate their own high-protein reformulations. Its moves into flour tortillas and seed-oil-free chicken suggest the brand is deliberately broadening its positioning beyond chicken alone, which may provide some insulation as the category grows more competitive.
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Sources
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