The Chicken Behind America's Best Kitchens

The Chicken Behind America's Best Kitchens

· Updated Posted by Meat N' Bone

Quality is a moving target — and chasing it is something of an obsession for us at Meat N' Bone. When we launched our partnership with Sunbird Poultry last year, it was the result of a long search for the best chicken in America. Sunbird gave us a great bird for nearly a year, and we're grateful for it. But just like we did when we moved on from Bell & Evans, we kept tasting. We kept hunting. And we found something even better.

Meet Joyce Farms.

A family-owned producer based in North Carolina that's been a name in chef kitchens for over 20 years. Joyce helped pioneer all-natural chicken in the United States back in the early 2000s, and today they're the gold standard for chefs who care about flavor and integrity — including some of America's most respected Michelin-starred restaurants.

We put their Naked Chicken line through the same test we put Sunbird through. Our Executive Chef, Chucho Rojas, tasted every cut side by side. His verdict was, again, simple: "Better bird. Let's go."

Our prior birds were incredible, but not as consistent (which happens when you are working with an Amish farm in PA) and the packaging was troublesome. The chicken from Joyce Farms is better packaged, very consistent and well... its a better product. 

Why Joyce Farms?

  • Better genetics. Joyce has spent 20+ years obsessing over breed selection — they're the U.S. producer who brought France's heritage Poulet Rouge® chicken to America, and they bring that same expertise to every bird they raise.

  • Nothing Added EVER. A stricter all-natural promise than what we had before: no antibiotics, no hormones, no growth stimulants, no pesticides, no preservatives, no animal by-products. Nothing artificial.

  • Hand-cut by skilled butchers. Every piece is portioned, trimmed, and inspected by hand — no automated deboning lines. The consistency in each pack is something you'll see and taste.

  • Truly artisanal-scale. Joyce processes roughly 5,000 birds a day. A typical commercial plant runs up to 300,000. This is craft poultry, not mass production.

  • A network of trusted family farms on the east coast, all meeting Joyce's strict all-natural standards. Never anonymous, never industrial.

Better Chicken. Better Price.

Here's the best part: you don't pay more for the upgrade. Through our direct partnership with Joyce Farms, we're able to offer a meaningfully more premium chicken at a price that sits well below where the premium chicken market is today. Better bird, better value, no tradeoff.

Taste the Difference (Again)

Joyce Farms Naked Chicken is available now on our website and at our South Florida boutiques. With nationwide shipping, the chicken that America's top chefs have trusted for two decades is one click away — delivered right to your door.

We said it the last time, and we'll say it again: we don't settle. And when we find better, we move.

👉Get started and shop our chicken products

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About The Chicken Behind America's Best Kitchens

Meat N' Bone shares the story behind their transition to sourcing chicken from Joyce Farms, a family-owned producer in North Carolina renowned among top chefs for over two decades. After extensive taste testing, Joyce Farms' Naked Chicken was chosen for superior flavor, consistency, and packaging.

Questions

Who is Joyce Farms and why did Meat N' Bone choose them?

Joyce Farms is a family-owned poultry producer in North Carolina with a reputation for supplying America's top chef kitchens. Meat N' Bone selected them after rigorous taste testing by Executive Chef Chucho Rojas for their unmatched quality, consistency, and artisanal approach to poultry production.

What makes Joyce Farms chicken different from other options?

Joyce Farms chicken stands out for better genetics with 20+ years of breed selection expertise, strict all-natural standards with no antibiotics or hormones, hand-cut portions by skilled butchers for consistency, artisanal-scale production of roughly 5,000 birds daily, and sourcing from a trusted network of family farms on the east coast.

Is Joyce Farms chicken more expensive than other premium chickens?

No. Through a direct partnership with Joyce Farms, Meat N' Bone offers Joyce Farms Naked Chicken at a price below the current premium chicken market, delivering better quality at better value with no tradeoff.

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How can customers purchase Joyce Farms chicken from Meat N' Bone?

Joyce Farms Naked Chicken is available for nationwide shipping via meatnbone.com/collections/chicken and at Meat N' Bone's South Florida boutiques.

Who authored this article and what is their expertise?

The article is posted by Meat N' Bone, with product testing led by Executive Chef Chucho Rojas, ensuring recommendations are grounded in professional culinary experience and rigorous side-by-side taste testing.

What is Meat N' Bone's philosophy on sourcing chicken?

Meat N' Bone's philosophy is that quality is a moving target and they are obsessed with chasing it. They continuously taste, hunt, and evaluate suppliers to find the best option available, never settling for less and always moving to better products when discovered.

How does Joyce Farms' production scale compare to typical commercial poultry operations?

Joyce Farms processes roughly 5,000 birds per day, compared to typical commercial plants that process up to 300,000 birds daily. This artisanal-scale approach allows for hand-cut portions, skilled butchering, and greater consistency in each pack.

What does 'Nothing Added EVER' mean for Joyce Farms chicken?

Joyce Farms' 'Nothing Added EVER' promise means their chicken contains no antibiotics, no hormones, no growth stimulants, no pesticides, no preservatives, and no animal by-products. It is a stricter all-natural standard than previous suppliers.