| Greetings!
"Calories on the menu" legislation continues to heat up - not just for cities and states. The menu labeling law could be included in national health reform legislation expected to be discussed in Congress during the next few weeks. Check out the news below.
Thanks for joining me on this monthly update to help marketing, food, and health professionals keep up with away-from-home health trends. If you know of others who could benefit from this information, please forward this email to them and invite them sign up.
Dr. Jo |
| New Menu Items |
Starbucks has a new campaign, "Real Food. Simply Delicious." On June 30, the bakery menu will be free of corn syrup, artificial flavors, and dyes. Starbucks will also be adding low-calorie salads, breakfast sandwiches made with egg whites, and a new Strawberry Banana Vivanno.
 Dunkin'Donuts has introduced its first 99-cent breakfast wrap. The egg and cheese wrap has 200 calories (10g fat). With bacon, it contains 250 calories.
Jamba Juice already introduced Oatmeal. Now it is adding flatbread sandwiches and is promoting new products having no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, or preservatives. The menu also identifies those items that are non-dairy, non-gluten and vegan. Too bad the website doesn't disclose calories and other critical nutrition information.
Burger King initially developed for their Fresh Apple Fries (apples skinned and sliced to look like fries) with low-fat caramel dipping sauce for its kid meals. Now Burger King is planning to sell them in 10,000 grocery stores nationwide. |
| Trend: Taste Still Trumps Health |
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According to a new survey by Mintel, 20% of consumers rank food health as an important factor when ordering dinner. Still, 77% of consumers rank taste as more important than health.
Three-quarters of respondents also claim they would like to see more healthful items on restaurant menus, but only 51% stated they usually order them. Read more. |
| Calories on Menu Laws: Update |
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The "Calories on the Menu" labeling laws continue to increase. Earlier this month, the National Restaurant Association agreed to support legislation that would require them to disclose calories on the menu (for chains with 20+ locations) and make other nutritional information available upon request.
In Maine, effective Feb. 1, 2011, chain restaurants with 20+ locations (and at least one in Maine) must post calorie data. Connecticut's proposed menu labeling law was passed by the General Assembly and Gov. M. Jodi Rell is expected to sign.
Cities that have already initiated similar laws include NYC (summer 2009) and King County/Seattle (earlier this year).
Those cities and states that will be requiring the addition of calories to the menu include Philadelphia (starting January 2010), Massachusetts (November 2010), California (January 2011), Oregon (January 2011. | |
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| Are You Going...? |
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Are you attending the American Association of Diabetes Educators conference in August in Atlanta? If so, please stop by the Canola Info booth and say hi - I consult with them as a spokesperson (could I help you promote your products?).
In addition, I'll be speaking in Moline, Illinios; Orlando, and Omaha in the next few weeks. If you want me to speak to your company or conference, check out my media kit. Or go ahead, give me a call!
Dr. Jo
407-852-9171
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