New and evolving technologies provide the broiler industry with opportunities to continue to improve engagement with chicken consumers. “My job is to make you think bigger,” said Kevin Ryan, the founder and CEO of Malachite Strategy and Research, the keynote speaker for the 2025 Chicken Marketing Summit.
During his session, Ryan previewed several existing technologies and discussed how these technologies could affect the future of the broiler industry.
1. Spatial computing
Artificial reality (AR) glasses, in-home furniture showcasing and make-up virtual try-ons are already changing the way consumers shop, but the tech that allows the real and virtual worlds to collide is still in its infancy, Ryan said.
In the future, emerging tech could use spatial computing for live-prep visuals in foodservice that gives transparency into the fire-grilled chicken bowl at your local burrito place through AR glasses, for example, and augmented prep assistance with AR glasses providing live step-by-step prep guides for that new recipe.
Kevin Ryan, founder/CEO, Malachite Strategy and Research, gives the keynote address: Chicken 2030: The tech and trends shaping what’s next
2. Smarter kitchens
The smart kitchen of the future – whether in a house or in the back of a restaurant – will feature upgrades to the smart appliances of today. For example, smart refrigerators will help optimize food freshness by having zones with vacuum assist to speed marination.
3. Wearable tech
Today’s wearable technology mostly focuses on fitness or generalized nutrition. Tomorrow’s wearable tech could include smart earbuds that gamify activity by linking it to coupons and geolocation, connect to grocery and delivery loyalty or even sync to in-store kiosks that offer custom selections and solutions. Imagine going for a run and having your earbuds tell you that if you make your run goal, you can get a discount on the nearby chicken sandwich place. Ryan called this one of the more important trends on the list.
4. Predictive artificial intelligence (AI)
Predictive AI is primarily used in the back of the house to manage restaurant inventory or delivery, but consumer-facing applications could be next. What if your smart fridge was able to connect to your transport for long-distance deliveries. The technology could also help with small scale deliveries – from automated replenishment for micro-locations and convenience stores to delivery to home delivery bays to drone meal delivery.
5. AI agents
Picture Jarvis from the movie Iron Man – in every home and store: Something to autonomously manage staff schedules and inventory, monitor shopping behavior to dynamically adjust layout, product prominence and pricing or plan out daily meals (and never have to decide what’s for dinner again!)
6. Real-time personalization
Imagine kiosks that let users select the spiciness, crunchiness, batter thickness and piece size of your next chicken order or an at-home machine that applies that perfect amount of dipping sauce or marinade based on your personal needs. My favorite is the possibility of an in-person or online personalized flavor station that can automatically marinate my chicken to perfection.
7. Contextual intelligence
In the future, contextual intelligence will be so much more than smart thermostats. Smartphones that recognize mood through voice, posture and gestures could suggest your next meal or food purchases. In addition, sophisticated back-of-house tech could predict and prevent fatigue or repetitive strain issues.
