Drive-through food... fresh and fast

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Zaycon Foods is changing the way customers get their meat, without ever leaving their car.

The average person consumes 83 pounds of chicken a year, according to the USDA. That can add up to hundreds of dollars on your annual grocery bill. But what if you could pay half the retail price for fresher, better-tasting meat? That's what a Spokane-based company called Zaycon promises customers across the country, and here in the Valley.

Zaycon Foods prides itself in being a weird company. But that doesn't keep customers from lining up every month, including John Hogg from Reedley. "Picking up a bunch of chicken for a whole bunch of people," he said.

Within a one-hour window, Zaycon driver Dale McLaughlin hands out over 2,100 pounds of chicken from his refrigerated truck to dozens of customers driving through the parking lot of Sunnyside Baptist Church in Southeast Fresno. All registered and pre-paid on Zaycon Foods' website zayconfoods.com.

McLaughlin said, "They're kinda leery of course. I'm gonna give you so much money for this product. And yet I'm trusting you that you're actually gonna be here."

When they have enough customers signed up in an area, Zaycon schedules a delivery event. The catch -- you have to buy in bulk. At least 40 pounds of meat at a time.

McLaughlin expalins, "You'll be surprised at how much people actually go through 40 pounds of chicken. They'll buy it once and they'll actually come back and say 'I didn't buy enough.'"

Now in 48 states, Zaycon Foods has grown rapidly since 2009, when it started with the mission to bring all natural, farm fresh meats directly to consumers at wholesale prices. Their boneless chicken breast is $1.89 a pound...compared to $3.48 in stores. The company also sells bacon, ground beef, and salmon to name a few.

Shirley and her husband came out from Easton to buy a case of chicken. She said, "But I hear their ribs and everything are just awesome." Her husband ears perked up. He said, "Ribs? How come we're not getting ribs?"

The company doesn't always offer the same meat at all the delivery events.

For Fresno mom Kristi Vanderslik, the cost and quality keep her coming back. She said, "The prices are really good and the chicken is awesome. It's probably the best chicken we've ever had. I ordered three cases and it'll last us the whole year. I'll put it in my deep freeze."

There are Zaycon events in Merced and Visalia as well. You can go to their website zayconfoods.com for a link to those locations and more buying information. An added bonus for the places that host the deliveries: they get a free case of meat.