Mmm … chicken wings, fried and dipped in hot sauce. The tasty morsels are so popular with wing lovers that chicken producers have difficulty keeping up with demand. After all, chickens have only two wings each -- with two edible parts per wing.
So-called boneless wings -- small bits of breast meat fried and served with sauce à la wings -- are acceptable substitutes for some folks, but true wing aficionados say they’re no replacement for the real thing.
Now comes perhaps a more promising solution to the wing shortage -- meat cuts that include the two scapula bones and their surrounding meat and skin. A protruding bone joint makes each piece easy to pick up. Add the two scapula parts to the four wing parts and presto -- a 50% increase in edible “wing” parts per bird.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Third Wing LLC, a Dacula, Ga.-based firm, manages the licensing of a patent covering the scapula cut. The company’s Web site notes that its product features whole white meat and less bone, gristle and cartilage.
Meanwhile, a robotics process that aims to automate the process of producing more pieces per bird is in the works at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Gary McMurray, project director, says, “We are verifying the core technology. Next year, we are going to develop a stage 1 functional prototype that will be able to run a couple of hundred birds easily.”
Will the scapula meat win over wing lovers? Jeff Brown, aka Lord of the Wings, is taking a wait and see … er, taste … attitude. But clearly, he’s intrigued: “What do these new wings look like? Do they have the same meat-to-skin ratio? Is the flavor the same? If it is similar to the traditional wingette/drummette, then this could be great for everyone. Otherwise, it might lead to the ‘watering down’ of an order of chicken wings.
“It sounds exciting, though,” says his lordship, who reviews and blogs about chicken wings from his base in Ottawa, Canada.
A large new supply of “wing” parts promises to be good for chicken producers, too. Wholesale wing prices are up nearly 40% since 2008, pushing up retail prices as well, but wing lovers aren’t about to go cold turkey, so to speak.
Brown notes that while Canada isn’t experiencing the shortage felt in the U.S. -- at least not yet -- “the cost of chicken wings has definitely been on the rise. What was served more as a cheap appetizer is frequently priced as a full priced entrée,” he says.
-
New 2026 Income Tax Brackets Are Set: What to Know NowIncome Tax The IRS has adjusted federal income tax bracket ranges for the 2026 tax year to account for inflation. Here's what you need to know.
-
Claiming the Standard Deduction? Here Are Five Tax Breaks for Retirement in 2025Tax Tips If you’re retired and filing taxes, these five tax credits and deductions could provide thousands in relief (if you qualify).
-
Apple Readies for AI Upgrade with New iPhonesThe Kiplinger Letter The tech giant has stumbled when it comes to artificial intelligence, but a new batch of iPhones will help it make headway.
-
Japan Enters a New Era of Risk and ReformThe Kiplinger Letter Japan has entered a pivotal moment in its economic history, undertaking ambitious policy and structural reforms to escape from decades of stagnation.
-
How Consumers Are Tinkering with Cutting-Edge AIThe Kiplinger Letter Companies launching artificial intelligence tools are jostling for consumer attention. Some products are already building a deep connection with users.
-
After Years of Stagnant Growth, Hope Emerges for EU EconomyThe Kiplinger Letter Can a German fiscal push outweigh French political peril?
-
Small Businesses Are Racing to Use AIThe Kiplinger Letter Spurred on by competitive pressures, small businesses are racing to adopt AI. A recent snapshot shows the technology’s day-to-day uses.
-
How AI Puts Company Data at RiskThe Kiplinger Letter Cybersecurity professionals are racing to ward off AI threats while also using AI tools to shore up defenses.
-
AI Start-ups Are Rolling in CashThe Kiplinger Letter Investors are plowing record sums of money into artificial intelligence start-ups. Even as sales grow swiftly, losses are piling up for AI firms.
-
What is AI Worth to the Economy?The Letter Spending on AI is already boosting GDP, but will the massive outlays being poured into the technology deliver faster economic growth in the long run?
