WHAT HAPPENED: The Chicken Marketing Summit announced this week that nominations are now open for the 2026 Chicken Marketer of the Year award and will be accepted until May 1, 2026.
WHY IT MATTERS: The Chicken Marketer of the Year award highlights efforts by retail, foodservice, direct-to-consumer, producer/integrator organizations, and companies that have demonstrated exceptional marketing creativity and strategies to promote chicken consumption. The award recognizes the marketers helping drive chicken’s continued growth during what industry leaders are calling “the protein moment.” The 2026 winner will join the ranks of past winners, including Chick-fil-A, Wayne-Sanderson Farms, Farmer Focus and Perdue Farms.
NCC’s TAKE: We encourage companies to submit nominations and help spread the word to colleagues and customers. To learn more and to submit a nomination, please click here.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING: “The Chicken Marketer of the Year award gives us the unique opportunity to recognize companies that position chicken as the protein of choice for healthy and affordable meals and demonstrate how innovative marketing connects today’s protein-focused consumers with the versatility and value of chicken,” said Elizabeth Doughman, editor of WATT PoultryUSA and Poultry Future.
WHAT’s NEXT: Submit a nomination. The winning organization will be recognized during a trophy presentation at the 2026 Chicken Marketing Summit, at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, on July 27-29, 2026. Registration is open with early savings available until May 31.
Jody Hallman, VP, integrated marketing, Perdue Foods, accepts the 2025 Chicken Marketer of the Year award.
