Two locally owned Wagga businesses are refusing to bow to the pressure of supermarket pricing after the cost of barbecue chooks has been dropped.
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The humble cooked chook is being used to draw in customers at both Coles and Woolworths.
Woolworths are now offering hot chooks for $7.90, down from $11 and Coles is now $8, also down from $11.
The sale of hot chooks at lower prices follows cost reductions on milk, eggs and bread, which are already used by supermarkets to get customers through the doors.
However, this price drop is not influencing local business including Turvey Park Foodworks and Original Flame Grilled Chicken.
Turvey Park Foodworks sells hot chooks for $10.99 or $8.99 when they are on special, while Original Flame Grilled Chicken chooks are priced at $13.90.
Turvey Park Foodworks manager Luke Webster said the point of difference was the way they cooked their chicken.
“Coles and Woolies cook in a combi oven but we still cook on rotisserie,” he said.
“It takes longer to manually rod the chicken but it gives it better flavour.”
Mr Webster said they had not noticed any drop in sales since the supermarket giants dropped their prices.
Original Flame Grilled Chicken manager Noel Lam said they were not worried about the price war between the supermarket giants.
“We do a different type of thing and our customers know the difference,” she said.
“It’s a different taste.”
While the price drop hasn’t affected local business yet, locally owned bakeries felt the impact in the past when supermarkets introduced in-store bakeries.
Wagga Hot Bake owner Peter O’Brien said he had to change the direction of his business as a result of the in-store bakery at supermarkets.
“We used to do more bread but now we have gone to being a pie specialist,” he said.
“Small businesses have to have a niche. Our niche is pie trade.
“Woolworths just can’t make pies like us.”
Mr O’Brien said people would choose to shop at small local businesses for something different.
“They (supermarkets) are cheaper because they mass produce everything,” he said.
“We are individualised and make things very different.
“People come here because they don’t want the same run-of-the-mill kind of thing.”
Price comparison
Foodworks Turvey Park $10.99 unless on special
Woolworths on Gurwood Street $7.90
Coles at Southcity $8
Original Flame Grilled Chicken $13.90
