Thousands of pounds of chicken for sale expected to block traffic in Cayce
Law enforcement issued warnings about possible traffic jams in the Columbia area Thursday caused by the return of a popular chicken sale.
The Cayce Department of Public Safety expected people to flock to the House of Raeford Farms sale that started at 8 a.m. Thousands of pounds of poultry were on sale at the Historic Columbia Speedway on Charleston Highway and near the junction with Interstate 26.
The event is scheduled to run until noon, or while supplies last.
The chicken farm company based in eastern North Carolina brought cases from its facility in West Columbia filled with 40 pounds of poultry each to sell to those looking to stock up during the coronavirus pandemic.
Chicken for sale included jumbo boneless skinless breasts ($50), and jumbo cut wings ($50), according to the House of Raeford website.
The sales follow social distancing mandates, House of Raeford spokesman Dave Witter told The State. He said customers never leave their cars, and House of Raeford employees take the order, receive cash, and then bring the packaged chicken to the cars.
BIRTH OF THE PUBLIC SALES
Previous sales in the Columbia area includes an event at the South Carolina state farmers market, in addition to two sales across the street from the House of Raeford facility in West Columbia. At the April event at the farmers market, more than 320,000 pounds of chicken was for sale, and vehicles were backed up for hours trying to get in.
House of Raeford officials said the backups happen because consumers are looking to stock their freezers with more meat products during the coronavirus pandemic. Because of the demand, there have been shortages of chicken occurring in grocery stores.
House of Raeford does not do most of its business dealing with those markets, and saw its own demands from its food service customers decrease as restaurants, colleges and more were closed as the confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose.
It needed to get creative, and the farm came up with the idea of the public sales. First at its chicken plants, they have expanded to larger venues as more and more customers have come out for the chicken.
Another sale in the Columbia area is not currently on the farm’s schedule on its website. The only other event currently slated is on Saturday in Wilmington, North Carolina.
There have been fewer public sales scheduled recently because the farm’s regular customers are returning to business, according to Witter.
“It has slowed down a lot,” Witter said. “Our regular business is coming back with restaurants reopening, even on a limited basis, so the products are going to our normal clientele. But we’re going to try and keep doing (public sales). ... There will be a limited amount going forward, but if we have excess, it’s better to sell it fresh rather than put it in a freezer.”
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES
People working at the House of Raeford plant in West Columbia told The State they were fired in May after protesting for better pay and working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.
About a dozen former employees said they were fired after gathering to protest on the sidewalk across Sunset Boulevard from the plant.
A spokesperson for House of Raeford said the company does not comment on personnel matters, but said as of May 26 there were no reported cases of employees testing positive for COVID-19.
House of Raeford is following guidance from the CDC, Witter previously told The State. Company safety and health personnel received training to identify symptoms of COVID-19, Witter said. And employees are asked to socially distance where they can.
The West Columbia processing plant has 675 employees, and processes an average of 150,000 chickens a day, Witter said.
