Chicken is arguably the most popular protein and Pickleball is taking the world by storm in its own right. When combined, you might say the two are unstoppable. That’s certainly what Chicken N Pickle founder Dave Johnson thought. After visiting Chicken! Chicken! on the Cayman Islands, Johnson was hooked on rotisserie chicken.
Then, his friend invited him out to Phoenix to play pickleball—a sport he’d never heard of. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) 2023 Topline Participation Report, pickleball has a total of 8.9 million players in the United States, up from 4.8 million in 2022. Johnson flew down to Phoenix and fell in love with pickleball his first time on the court. When he got home, Chicken N Pickle was born.
“Everybody seems to think it’s pickles, but it’s actually pickleball,” said Mike Wirtzberger, Director of Operations at Chicken N Pickle.
While pickleball brings customers in for fun, it’s the food that keeps them coming back for more. For Chicken N Pickle, food safety is paramount. There are a number of Cambro products that make it easy to maintain food safety protocols to keep their food fresh and customers safe.
Camshelving® Premium Series
Unlike metal shelving, Camshelving is constructed with durable materials that will never rust. Plus, shelf plates can be independently removed without having to take apart the entire rack to get to each individual shelf. Simply lift a shelf plate off and wipe clean with a cloth or run through a commercial dishwasher. Plus, Camshelving is permanently embedded with antimicrobial Camguard™ to discourage bacteria from forming.
“We’ve got a number of Cambro shelves back there and those Cambro shelves are just ideal for food safety,” said Wirtzberger.
Drying Racks
Food safety during storage, cooking and transport is always a high priority for restaurants, but the way equipment is dried isn’t always top of mind. When containers and utensils aren’t dried properly, they can cause big problems. When airflow is obstructed between two washed items during the drying process, bacteria can grow unbeknownst to you. Camshelving Premium Series Drying Racks and Pegboard allow equipment to properly dry and keep it organized.
CamSquares® FreshPro
Every container needs a lid—yes, every single one! The Easy Seal Cover for our new CamSquares FreshPro keep food safe from potential cross-contamination and drain shelves help keep food fresher, longer. Color-coded containers, lids and drain shelves ensure chefs can easily find what they need. Plus, we included a drain hole in the handles to promote sanitary drying.
Chicken N Pickle has locations in Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. For more information on the products mentioned, click here to find your nearest retailer, online retailers and your local Cambro sales rep.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
