A shop with a rotisserie counter, a restaurant, a canteen or a butcher does not buy “a chicken” — it buys a size. On a rotisserie the birds must weigh the same so they brown at the same pace; in the oven what matters is how many portions one bird gives; on the counter, how easily a single bird sells. Below you will find every whole bird in our wholesale chicken catalogue, with its weight, its state and what it is best used for.
Which whole birds are in the catalogue?
All of them are Qualiko, produced by MHP, and sold by the case:
- “Whole chicken for grilling Qualiko, frozen, 1.8–2.2 kg” — a bird sized for the rotisserie and the oven.
- “Whole chicken Qualiko, frozen, 700 g – 2.1 kg” — birds from 700 g up to 2.1 kg.
- “Tabaka chicken Qualiko, frozen, 0.7–1.5 kg” — small birds for chicken tabaka.
- “Whole chicken Qualiko, chilled, 1.1 kg“.
- “Broiler chicken Qualiko, chilled, 1.3 kg (13 kg case of 10)“.
- “Whole chicken Qualiko, chilled, 2.0–2.3 kg” — the largest bird in the catalogue.
Three lines are frozen, three are chilled, and the weight per bird runs from 700 g to 2.3 kg. That is, in practice, the whole choice.
“Chicken”, “broiler”, “găină”: what do the names mean?
On Qualiko’s Romanian labels the same bird is sometimes called “pui” and sometimes “găină”, and in Moldova people search for both. The names in our catalogue follow the producer’s labels. The product pages for the grilling chicken, the large chilled whole chicken and the frozen whole chicken all describe the same thing — a whole MHP broiler. So do not choose by name; choose by the two things every product page states: the weight of the bird and its state, chilled or frozen.
Which size for which job?
Rotisserie. The 1.8–2.2 kg grilling chicken is sized exactly for this: birds of similar weight brown evenly and are ready at the same time, which is why rotisserie counters ask for this calibre. The same bird also works in the oven as a family roast.
Oven, portions for one or two. The 1.1 kg chilled whole chicken is the classic portion for two: it cooks quickly and evenly. The frozen whole chicken comes in a wide range, from 700 g to 2.1 kg — a small bird is a single meal, a large one feeds a family or covers two cooks.
Fresh meat counter. The 1.3 kg chilled broiler is the counter size: it sells as a portion for a small family, fits whole into any oven, and the 10-bird case is the usual format for a shop’s fresh meat section.
Chicken tabaka. The Caucasian recipe calls for a small, flattened bird fried under a weight or over embers. The 0.7–1.5 kg tabaka chickens are the right size; a large bird simply does not fit the pan. One bird is one portion, which is why restaurants like them.
Your own butchery. The 2.0–2.3 kg chilled whole chicken covers everything: breast for the grill, legs for the oven, back for stock. For a butcher or kitchen that breaks birds down in-house, a large bird means fewer pieces to handle for the same weight.
Chilled or frozen?
As with any meat, it is a question of logistics, not quality. Chilled chicken arrives through a controlled cold chain and goes straight into the oven with no planning and no thawing, but it needs fast turnover; the use-by date is the one on the pack. Frozen chicken is stored at −18 °C and lets you keep a buffer stock. A frozen whole bird is thawed in the fridge, not on the counter, and is never refrozen once thawed; the full rules are in our guide to frozen meat storage and thawing.
Whole chicken or chicken cuts?
A whole bird makes sense when you cook it whole (rotisserie, oven, tabaka) or when you have staff to break it down and you use every part, including the back for stock. If your menu only needs breast or only legs, buy that cut directly: you do not pay for parts you will not use, and you save butchery time. Which cuts exist and what each is for is covered in our guide to chicken cuts for kitchens and retail. To compare a whole bird with cuts fairly, measure your real yield on one batch — the method is in our article on meat yield and cost per portion.
What about shawarma?
A vertical shawarma spit does not need a whole bird. The catalogue has “Shawarma chicken Qualiko, frozen, 10 kg“: broiler meat cut specifically for shawarma and kebab, in 10 kg cases. Which other lines shawarma kitchens buy is covered in our guide for choosing a meat supplier for a shawarma shop.
How to order whole chickens
Whole birds are priced on request: our sales agent confirms the price per kilogram, VAT included, together with stock and delivery time. The number of birds per case is stated on the product page only for the 1.3 kg broiler (10 birds, 13 kg); for the others our sales team will tell you. The minimum order is 70 kg and can be made up of several lines — for example grilling chickens, legs and wings in one delivery; everything else you can add is on the wholesale chicken page. We deliver in Chișinău, usually within 24–48 hours, and across Moldova; delivery in Chișinău costs 100 lei and is free over 150 kg (details on the delivery page). Returns are not accepted, and we do not process online payments.
Send your request through the order request form or call +373 79 88 33 79 (the same number is on WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram). Tell us the size, chilled or frozen, how many cases per week or month, and your town — we will reply with the current price and availability. More about the producer MHP and the Qualiko range is on the Qualiko products page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the grilling chicken and how much does each bird weigh?
It is “Whole chicken for grilling Qualiko, frozen, 1.8–2.2 kg”: a whole broiler sized for the rotisserie and the oven. Birds weigh between 1.8 and 2.2 kg, are stored at −18 °C and are sold by the case.
What is the difference between the whole chicken and the broiler lines in the catalogue?
The names follow the producer’s labels. The product pages for the grilling chicken, the large chilled whole chicken and the frozen whole chicken all describe a whole MHP broiler. What sets them apart when you order is size and state: chilled or frozen.
How many birds are in a case?
The chilled Qualiko broiler chicken comes 10 birds of 1.3 kg to a case, 13 kg in total. For the other whole birds, our sales team confirms the number per case when you order.
Does a chilled whole chicken need thawing?
No. A chilled bird goes straight into the oven. Frozen birds are thawed in the fridge and are not refrozen afterwards.
How much does a whole chicken cost wholesale?
Whole birds are priced on request: our sales agent confirms the price per kilogram, VAT included, together with stock and delivery time.