‘Unprecedented’ spike in chicken prices has Noodles execs squawking

BROOMFIELD — “The price of chicken rose throughout the second quarter to unprecedented levels,” Noodles & Co. (Nasdaq: NDLS) chief financial officer Carl Lukach told investors and analysts Wednesday, raising the cost of doing business for the fast-casual pasta chain and eating into its bottom line. 

Inflation, company officials said, is partly to blame for net income falling from $5.7 million, or 12 cents per diluted share in the second quarter of 2021, to $1.3 million, or 3 cents per diluted share.

Net income fell during the most recent quarter despite year-over-year sales increasing from $125.6 million to $131.1 million.

Thankfully for Noodles,…