• We've talked to schools raving about the corporate chefs who came to teach staff how to cook grains.
• We know of companies that regularly develop everything from grain dishes to custom flatbreads for top restaurants.
• Once we even accompanied a WGC member's baking experts to a fast-food chain's headquarters for a bake-off of whole grain bun options.  

We want to make services like these more widely known, so we're creating a Product Development Resource Directory, listing suppliers and detailing the support services they offer to help foodservice outlets create delicious and successful whole grain products. Our goal is to get more whole grains into more restaurants - and to help WGC members increase sales at the same time.

We're scheduling Listen & Learn phone calls with members now. If you want to be included in the Directory, contact Cynthia Harriman (cynthia@oldwayspt.org or 617-896-4820) to set up a time to tell us about how your company supports foodservice with product development services. 

We have more than 20 supermarket dietitians on board already to participate in Whole Grain Sampling Day supermarket sampling events. While you've missed our primary deadline, there may still be possibilities for having your products sampled. If you have not yet signed up for our "matchmaking" service, contact Kelly Toups by January 31 (617-896-4884 or kelly@oldwayspt.org).

Later this spring, when our new website goes live, we'll be adding a new feature to our Find Stamped Products list:  we'll be putting a special check mark next to all products made predominantly with whole grain (all products containing more whole grain than refined grain).

We need your help to make sure your qualifying products are highlighted. If there's no checkmark next to your products, consumers may think your products have minimal whole grain content, when in fact, we simply don't have your data. Now is the time to add the Total Grain field to all your products, if you haven't done so already. 

Contact Harley Songin (harley@oldwayspt.org or 617-896-4832) to make these important updates. She'll send you a list of all your Stamped products, and simple instructions on how to move forward.

If your company is looking for a simple, clear, graphic way to illustrate the importance of whole grains and your support for healthy eating, we invite you to link to the Oldways Cart. This consumer tool includes a picture of healthy groceries for two adults for a week, along with a sample meal plan and recipes made from the foods pictured. Check it out here today!