Branding AND GROWTH: the Development of Prescription Chicken

BY LEAH LI

Prescription Chicken’s co-founders Valerie Zweig (right) and Taryn Pellicone (left). Washington Business Journal.

“I had lived in New York where you could get anything delivered … but at the time in Washington, you really couldn't … I had moved back to Washington and I got sick … so I said to myself, like, gosh, I wish that I could just have matzo ball soup delivered to my house.”

In 2016, after getting sick and searching for chicken soup, Valerie Zweig noticed that there wasn’t any good soup that satisfied her in DC, and this gap in the market allowed her to develop the idea to start a business  that sold homemade, high-quality chicken soup. Along with co-founder Taryn Pellicone, Valerie Zweig created Prescription Chicken, and since then, they’ve developed into a nationwide company. How did Prescription Chicken get here? Zweig says it’s growth and branding.

 Prescription Chicken’s chicken soup and sandwiches. Nomtastic Foods.

One of the key factors in Prescription Chicken’s success was branding. Valerie’s former involvement in restaurant consulting allowed her to understand the importance of brand and concept development. They focused on creating a cozy, homemade brand for Prescription Chicken, and by using ingredients like bones, carrots, celery, onion, ginger, and dill, they were able to create a simple and natural feel for the chicken soup. However, this focus on quality ingredients came at a cost. From challenges with finding a manufacturing partner to difficulties with funding, Prescription Chicken faced many obstacles but overcame them, all while maintaining the integrity of their product.

To stay true to this vision, everything involved in their business had to be in correlation with the brand. From flavors to foods, each element was carefully chosen to ensure customers could recognize and connect with the business, ensuring they would keep coming back. Although Valerie didn’t have formal business experience initially, she learned a lot along the way, particularly in managing finances and ensuring everything “came together” properly. This journey of learning and adaptation leads into the other key factor of their success—growth.

Although Zweig and Pellicone didn’t anticipate the work and skills needed to start and maintain a business, with the help of others, they eventually found their footing. From growing through relationships and endurance, whether it was building connections with grocery stores or launching their powdered chicken stock, Zweig says that the growth in the business is ongoing, and that it’s been a process of constant learning. Throughout this journey, they encounter numerous challenges. However, they have always been quick to handle these obstacles, with Zweig describing them as 'firefighting'—constantly tackling new challenges like fire. After Prescription Chicken understood and experienced more, they were able to tackle the challenges of scaling a business, including understanding financials and navigating manufacturing hurdles. The launch of their powdered chicken stock marked a turning point of growth, pushing them into a new space and requiring them to adapt and innovate.

From the earliest stages of developing their business, Prescription Chicken has come a long way. By overcoming challenges, and staying true to their brand, Zweig comments on their journey and growth to a thriving business, “it's challenging and it's exciting, and then when you solve it, it's amazing.”