Canned Wendy's Chili To Become Available At Grocery Stores

Chili is one of the food items most associated with Wendy's, and for good reason. It was an original menu item when the fast food franchise first opened back in 1969, and it has remained on menus ever since. In fact, chili is offered at each and every one of the chain's nearly 6,000 U.S. locations. That says a lot about its popularity. So, too, does the staggering number of servings sold each year (83 million in 2020).

There's no secret about the ingredients in Wendy's famous chili, of course – notably, the stew contains beef, beans, tomato, and onions — but fans of the dish can soon peruse them anyway on the back of cans. Yes, Wendy's chili is going to be sold as a canned good in supermarkets and grocery stores. So in addition to its availability on restaurant menus, consumers can also enjoy it in the comfort of their own homes. The news was recently announced by Conagra Brands – a major producer of packaged food items, including Wendy's new canned chili — at a conference held by the Consumer Analyst Group of New York. 

So where is Wendy's canned chili going to be sold, and how soon can consumers find it in stores? There are no clear answers to these questions, at least not yet. Conagra Brands has announced Wendy's chili as part of its 2023 line of products, so there seems little doubt that it will be on supermarket shelves this year; and perhaps sooner rather than later, given that the product already has a listing on Instacart, with nutritional information available. The cans will be 15 ounces in size, for example, with each can-sized serving boasting 470 calories, and 29 grams of protein.

Wendy's isn't the first fast food franchise to make its signature food items available in grocery stores, of course. White Castle started the trend by introducing its sliders in stores back in 1987. In the years since, more chains have made retail versions of popular food and beverage items, including Bob Evans, McDonald's, Panera, Taco Bell, and Whataburger. Arby's has also launched products in groceries, and recently added crinkle-cut french fries and bottled sauces to its retail line.