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Menu LabelingEverything you need to know
Content Introduction: Why is menu labeling important and what do consumers
think about it?
Section 1: What do the regulations entail?
Section 2: What does the literature tells us about the impact of menu labeling and what can we learn from the findings?
Section 3: If education and positive messaging are important to the success of menu labeling, how do we talk about this?
Section 4: Why is there variability of calories reported vs. calories served in restaurant meals? And what impact will it have on the consumer if we sensationalize this reality?
Summary: What can food and nutrition communicators do?
Who we are & why we are here Suggest to open the conversation about you and your
brand if appropriate
Introduction: Why is menu labeling important and what do consumers think about it?
A bit of historyBeginning in 2009, a patchwork of state and local menu labeling laws & regulations began emerging across the United States; FDA’s regulation provides a uniform, national menu labeling approach.
Jan 2011 Jan 2012 Jan 2013 Jan 2014 Jan 2015Jan 2010
March 2010Affordable Care Act signed into lawSection 4205 requires restaurant chains and similar retail food establishments to provide calorie information for standard menu items.
April 2011FDA releases draft guidanceAvailable for public comment
November 2014Final Regulation AnnouncedPublished in Federal Register
December 1, 2015COMPLIANCE DATE
Jan 2016
“…people need nutritional information to manage their weight and reduce the risk of, or manage, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which are leading causes of death, disability, and high health care costs; it is difficult for
consumers to exercise personal responsibility and limit their intake of calories at restaurants, given the limited availability of nutrition information at the point
of ordering in restaurants…”
Why menu labeling?
What do consumers think? The majority of consumers have positive perceptions of menu labeling Most consumers say they will use the calorie information when posted
Section 1: What do the regulations entail?
Who does this apply to?• FDA defined a “covered establishment” as a restaurant or similar food
retail food establishment as a venue with 20 or more locations, doing business under the same name, offering for sale substantially the same menu items, and selling restaurant-type foods.
• “Restaurant-type foods” was defined as a food that is usually eaten on the premises, while walking away, or soon after arriving at another location.
What is required?• Covered entities must comply with three basic requirements:
1. Calories must be disclosed for standard menu items on a menu or menu-board
2. A statement must be posted on the menu concerning suggested daily caloric intake = “2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary”
3. A statement must be posted on the menu advising that written nutrition information for standard menu items is available upon request
• As with most regulations, there was a variety guidance of with regards to how this information must be disclosed.
What is a menu?• FDA defines a menu or menu board as the primary writing of the
covered establishment from which a customer makes an order selection. The writing is considered a primary writing if:
– the writing lists the name of a standard menu item (or an image depicting the standard menu item) and the price of the standard menu item and
– the writing can be used by a customer to make an order selection at the time the customer is viewing the writing
• There can be more than one “primary writing” … and they may be in different forms, e.g., booklets, pamphlets, or single sheets of paper.
What menu items must list calories?• The labeling requirements apply to standard menu items
• The labeling requirements do not apply to foods that are not standard menu items, including:
– items such as condiments that are for general use, including those placed on the table or on or behind the counter;
– daily specials; temporary menu items; custom orders; food that is part of a customary market test; and
– self-service food and food on display that is offered for sale for less than a total of 60 days per calendar year or fewer than 90 consecutive days in order to test consumer acceptance.
Beyond the basics• The rules recognize the varied ways in which
covered menu items are sold, with special rules adopted for variable menu items, multi-serving foods, combination meals, beverages and other product types and configurations (such as those with added toppings or multiple sizes).
Section 2: What does the literature tells us about the impact of menu labeling and what can we learn from the findings?
Based on a review of the literature, results are mixed on whether calorie labeling has an influence on immediate food choice.
Approximately ½ of studies showed a positive impact; ½ showed no impact
Barriers to usage includes confusion and a general lack of understanding of calorie values
Nutrition information is most impactful when consumers are provided with the context of how calories and nutrients fit into their overall diet
The literature
Education will be critical to help consumers understand and use
the calorie on menus.
Section 3: Accurate Recipe Analysis
Use a research quality database from a reputable company like Genesis from ESHA Research
USDA and common brand name items
Allows entry of own ingredients
Allows import and export of data
Electronically populates recipes with updated ingredient data
Offers software updates 1-2X/year
Provides nutrient data for each ingredient in a recipe
Choosing Software
Recipes must be tested
After testing, recipe becomes standardized
Vital to have open communication with chef
If testing is inadequate, results will be too!
Interpreting Recipes
Unrounded 100g data for new ingredients
Ingredient Measurements
Volume vs Weight
AP/EP
No “salt to taste”!
Total yield, serving size and number of servings
Eight 6 oz (168g) servings
1 order = 1 serving restaurant food
Recipe Requirements
Full description of ingredients in recipe
Identify form and cut
Include preparation instructions as cooking will alter ingredients
Foodservice formulations may differ from its retail form
Product reformulations occur
More Recipe Requirements
Deep Fat Frying
Marinades and breading
Volume vs weight
FDA Rounding
Challenges
Technical cooking terms
Sous vide – French for “under vacuum”
Uncommon ingredients
Dashi – Japanese broth made with dried bonito tuna flakes
Appropriate substitutions
Chinese Kale/Chinese Broccoli
Culinary Expertise
Collective/composite sample
1 pound
Determine nutrients needed
Qualified Labs participate in AOAC testing program
Laboratory Analysis
Government – USDA database, nutrient retention data, food labeling guidance
Book of Yields, 7th ed
Food For Fifty
Food Lover’s Companion, 5th ed
Coming Soon: Recipe Nutrient Calculations: best practices for calculated and chemical analysis by Cheryl Dolven and Cathy Powers
Resources
Section 4: If education and positive messaging are important to the success of menu labeling, how do we talk about this?
Sonar Research conducted 4 focus groups to understand consumer perceptions of menu labeling and evaluate consumer reactions to different response messages.
Each focus group was comprised of six consumers who met the following criteria: Men and women, ages 25 to 60 Annual household income of $30K or more Have eaten at least three times in a casual dining restaurant within the
past three months
They used a “rapid response” technique
The focus groups
ORIGINAL
Knowing how many calories you need and how many calories you eat each day is an important step in managing your health. Eating more calories than you need can lead to weight gain and other health problems.
REVISED
Knowing how many calories you need is an important step in taking charge of your health.
Example 1
Example 2ORIGINAL
Calories are like a budget - you should only eat so many in a day. Knowing the amount of calories in your food will help you “spend” your daily calorie budget wisely.
REVISED
ORIGINAL
A simple rule of thumb is that most people need 2,000 calories or less a day. To find out how many calories you need, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.
REVISED
Although the number of calories people need varies, a simple rule of thumb is that most people need 2,000 calories or less a day. More information about your individual needs is available at www.chosemyplate.org.
Example 3
Keep messages POSITIVE: Messages that preach the consequences of too many calories or contain negative words and phrases will be ignored.
Emphasize the YOU: Everyone wants to feel in control, so remind them that having calories on the menu puts them in the driver’s seat.
Provide a RULE OF THUMB: The general guideline of 2,000 daily calories provides context consumers need.
Remind them of their RESOURCES: … but don’t be too ‘bossy’ about when and how to use them.
Respect the OCCASION: Dining out at a “sit down” restaurant is usually a special occasion–analogies that sound like too much work (like label reading or budgeting) aren’t likely to be successful.
What we learned:
Section 5: Why is there variability of calories reported vs. calories served in restaurant meals? And what impact will it have on the consumer if we sensationalize this reality?
Variability happens Our meals are handcrafted and made to order– unlike a highly-controlled
assembly line of a manufacturing plant (like packaged foods)
Extreme variability is not okay … but some variability is to be expected
Food preparation: From cooking to portioning, preparing hand-crafted, made-to-order meals can also contribute to variability.
Nutrition analysis: Any food analysis – even when done in a lab – is not an exact science. Ingredients: Even at its most basic form, many single
ingredient foods are not exactly alike.
How do we control for it?
– Standardized recipe cards– Extensive training for restaurant staff– Restaurants equipped with scales, spoodles and other measuring devices– Line & alley checks
– Rigorous nutrition analysis process, including both chemical and calculated
– Skilled employees
– Approved suppliers– Clearly defined product specifications
What if we sensationalize this reality?
Calorie Counts: How Accurate Are They?
Calorie labels inaccurate, experts say
Beware! Calories on Menus
Counting of Calories Isn’t Always Accurate Calorie counts found lacking
When Nutrition Labels Lie
To find out, Sonar Research fielded an online survey, exposing two groups of consumers to one of two news messages: either positive or
negative.
Negative messages will have a negative impact Negative coverage significantly decreases the intent to use the information Consumers who heard positive messages said they were 2.5 times MORE
LIKELY to use the calorie information they see on the menu
Some variability in the final prepared dish is unavoidable, which means a little variability in the calories listed on menus
is to be expected.
The calorie information on menus is reliable and valuable
in guiding a consumer’s choice.
Consumers need help understanding and using the calories they see on the menu. Focusing on the potential variances will not benefit public
health goals and may make some consumers less likely to use the information.
The bottom line
SummaryWhat can food and nutrition communicators do?
Help consumers understand what calories are and why they are important
Teach consumers how many calories they need each day, so that the calories they see on the menu have context
Show consumers how to use the calorie information to select a meal that works for their needs on that occasion
Educate consumers and the media on why some variability in calorie reporting is to be expected
Ensure you have appropriate training, accurate ingredient and recipe information and adequate assumptions to do calculated (software) analysis for restaurants (junk in, junk out!!)
Food and Nutrition Communicators can:
39
Resources for YouThe full regulation is posted at fda.gov
More information about menu labeling can be found at www.Nutrition411.com (in the “menu labeling” folder of the Educational Materials tab)
Restaurant Reality: a closer look at the inherent variability in restaurant food
Calorie Confusion: a review of the literature
Mixed Messages: exec summary of the media study by Sonar Strategies
Communicating Calories: consumer tested messages about menu labeling
Menu Makeover: a ready-to-use handout that helps consumers put calories to use
In Summary
Adding calorie content to menus is an important step to empower Americans when they eat away from home.
Consumers will benefit most from this information if we teach them how to use it through positive, relevant messages.
chapters
General Issues 3
Daypart & Menu Part Issues 11
Strategies & Impacts 16
Drivers & Challenges 19
Guest Issues 24
Communication 28
Internal & External Partners 31
Communicating HMC Efforts 36
General Issues
46
Increasing produce is not a new objective. Nearly all of the HMC members have already begun efforts to increase produce use in their operations.
CURRENTLY Increasing Produce Use
n=18Q: Have you already employed strategies to increase the use of fruits/vegetables?Q: When did you begin or initiate your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables on your menu?
Not only have most HMC members already begun to increase produce use, but these activities have been going on for over a year and, in many cases, for more than two years.
Current Achievement vs Ultimate Goals
HMC members have made great progress toward ultimate goals.To date, HMC members indicate their operations have increased product use on average by 24%.With ultimate goals targeting on average a 39% increase in produce use, many operations appear well on their way toward these goals.
A key issue to be addressed is the lack of any clear understanding among 44% of target or ultimate goal for produce usage increases. Without any clear understanding of what the goal is, it will be difficult for any operator to effectively measure the success of these efforts.
n=18Q: What is your ultimate goal with regard to increasing your use of fruits/vegetables in your operation?Q: How much of an increase of fruits/vegetables use do you believe you have implemented to date, since the Healthy Menu Collaborative was created two years ago?
Effective methods to increase produce use
“Was able to add two new salads and implement a seasonal vegetable addition to the menu. We also added an upside down fruit cake and a fruit tart to the dessert menu.”
“Offering unique side items from which guests can choose.”
“Introduced a concept that centers around the use of fresh seasonal produce and whole grains while using sparingly to compliment entrees to balance nutritional attributes. Changing menus to coincide with the seasons to focus on fruits and vegetables that are at its peak of ripeness, flavor, abundance and favorable pricing.”
“Increase variety and number of fruit and vegetables. Nutritional strategy by focusing the attention of our consumers on consuming more veggies/fruit. Implementing new platforms of sandwiches, breakfast items, salads, soups and sweet/savory desserts. Recipe innovation.”
“Adding oatmeal and dried fruit to breakfast; offering more bakery LTO's with fruit; Breakfast Burrito LTO.”
“Offering more vegetable dishes with animal protein, but the animal protein is a component of the dish , not the main ingredient.”
“It has been about introducing more vegetable focused dishes and sides versus trying to argue against changing the standard of Identity.”
“Make it delicious First. The guest can not be forced.”
Measuring success of increased produce use
programs
“Measure as a % of total sales.”
“Purchase data....sales data is too hard for us to collect.”
“Food purchasing, local produce purchases, nutritional analysis of recipes.”
“Monitoring raw purchasing of fruit and vegetables. Measuring increase sales of items containing fruit and vegetables.”
“Daily POS reports.”
“Customer satisfaction results and lower food cost.”
“Sales numbers tell it all.”
“By how well the items sell and how incremental the menu items are.”
“Menu item sales and consumer feedback.”
“Reviewed by intercepts and take rates.”
“Use of production records captures volume used/served, but not consumption, therefore we will soon be conducting plate waste studies.”
Share of Produce Use by FORMAT
Increases in produce use will likely come at the expense of value-added products.Fresh produce accounts for the largest share of produce use now and long-term goals aim to increase that share of use.For the most part, canned produce will likely suffer the greatest share of use declines, followed by frozen.
n=18Q: Considering the fruits/vegetables you currently use in your operation, what share of those fruits/vegetables is purchased in each of the following formats? Considering your goals for fruit/vegetable use, what share do you hope each format will eventually represent?
HMC members are leveraging a wide variety of produce as part of their increase efforts.Greens, potatoes, seasonal produce, berries and squash are among the types of produce HMC members are using more often throughout the menu.
n=18Q: What fruits/vegetables are you using more of or plan to use more of on your menu?
Product HMC Members are USING MORE OF
Produce considered difficult to use more of
“Green vegetables..we do not have a format for fresh. must use frozen and potentially battered veggies for healthier fried sides.”
“Highly perishable, short shelf life......lot's of waste.”
“Fruits in general are hard for me being in a steakhouse. I am using it in some drinks and desserts but mainly as a garnish.”
“Dried beans and grains. Guest perception is still moving on these items.”
“Winter squash, root vegetables. Unfamiliar use and complexity of recipes.”
“Melons: quality and yield is currently a big challenge. Pre-peeled is not an option due to quality and shelf-life issue. Skin is contaminated. Nutritional density is low.”
“Any sort of fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, etc. – from both prep and storage concerns.”
“Eggplant -- difficult to cook and there are few if any frozen options on the market that I would consider.”
“Avocado, asparagus because of high prices.”
“Anything that consumers cannot cook themselves and are not familiar with i.e kohlrabi, rutabaga, etc. If it evokes bad childhood memories, we don't want to touch it.”
“Brussel sprouts, new leafy green varieties, braising greens, etc. Casual dining consumers less familiar with these items or have had bad experiences with them.”
“fresh - kids are not inclined to eat whole fruit. its better when the fruit is cut - challenges here are labor, equipment, keeping fresh.”
Daypart & Menu Part Issues
54
Daypart Role in Produce Use
Lunch and dinner will lead HMC member efforts to increase produce use followed closely by breakfast. Snacks will play a far more limited role despite fairly high perceived importance for AM and PM snacks.
n=18Q: What percent of each daypart will ultimately be impacted by your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables use on the menu?Q: How important will each daypart be in your strategy to increase the use of fruits/vegetables on the menu?Q: How easy is it to incorporate more fruits/vegetables into each of the following dayparts?
**Top two box percentages; five-point scales*Among those menuing
Menu Part Role in Produce Use
Lunch and dinner entrées will have the greatest impact with a la carte sides and appetizers also playing significant roles. Breakfast sides will lead produce increase efforts in that daypart, with entrées and breakfast sandwiches perceived as more difficult categories in which to increase produce use.
n=18Q: What percent of each menu part will ultimately be impacted by your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables use on the menu?Q: How important will each menu part be in your strategy to increase the use of fruits/vegetables on the menu?Q: How easy is it to incorporate more fruits/vegetables into each of the following menu parts?
**Top two box percentages; five-point scales*Among those menuing
Salads, sides and soup are considered the easiest categories to tackle.Categories including breads, breakfast entrées (already identified as a more challenging category), seafood, deli proteins, burgers and sandwiches (lunch/dinner) are all considered far more difficult with regard to increasing produce use.
n=18Q: Which of the following are the top three easiest categories to tackle as part of your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables on the menu? Which are the top three most challenging categories?
EASY VS DIFFICULT Categories for Produce Increases
Example of an item/menu part experiencing increased
produce use
“Salad program…vegetable fajita.”
“Vegetable hash added as breakfast side.”
“Adding a grilled vegetable Cobb salad to the new lunch menu coming out in January.”
“Added fresh fruit and vegetables with burger and sandwich offerings.”
“Breakfast egg whites omelette with asparagus and roasted tomatoes.”
“Power salad which uses fruits, vegetables, and dried fruits.”
“Breakfast burrito 2 month LTO used over 400K lbs diced veg.”
“Dinner entrees -- upped amount of veggie options by 200% since October.”
“Make your own stations.”
“Developing a bread based retail item that can cross multiple day parts that has a vegetable/fruit component of approx. 35-40% of its total weight.”
“We are now requiring our restaurants to carry baby spinach.”
“In 2012 we added a small plates section to the starter page of our menu. In this section we added 4 vegetable focused selections.”
“Roasted veg flatbread.”
Strategies & Impacts
59
Menu item creation, whether to replace items or add to the menu, will drive increased produce use. Few operators seek to alter existing items or to expand the menu by adding dayparts or menu parts.
Methods to Incorporate More Produce
n=18Q: What share/percent of your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables on the menu will employ each of the following techniques?Q: For each of the following, will you focus on in-house development or value-added products provided by manufacturers or other suppliers?
Regardless of the tactic, in-house development will drive most of the produce strategies going forward. Value-added product is most likely to play a role for those operators looking to alter current menu items.
In-houseValue-added
productsBoth
Creating new items – replacing existing items 55.6% 11.1% 22.2%
Creating new items – add to existing menu 61.1% 11.1% 27.8%
Altering existing menu items 38.9% 5.6% 33.3%
Expanding current menu part 55.6% 0.0% 22.2%
Adding new daypart 16.7% 0.0% 11.1%
Adding new menu part 38.9% 0.0% 5.6%
Areas EMPLOYED OR IMPACTED by Increased Produce Use
Profit margins and price appear to be the two areas HMC members believe will be most
impacted by the increased use of produce. Based on other data collected, it appears HMC
members are concerned that both will be negatively impacted.
Side menu prominence, prep techniques and portion sizes are secondary areas likely
impacted by these efforts, though there is no data to suggest the impact is perceived to be
negative. That said, prep skills were identified as a challenge so the impact on preparation
techniques could be either a challenge or a new creative opportunity.
n=18Q: Which of the following will your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables on the menu employ or impact?
Drivers & Challenges
62
Facilitating creativity is the most significant driver for increased produce use .Other key drivers focus on the impact of produce on the flavor, quality and appearance of menu items.
It’s important to note that negative drivers such as peer pressure, media scrutiny and competitive activity are not identified as significant reasons to increase produce use.
Additionally, issues with price come up repeatedly and the potential to increase price points, the potential for increased profit margins, and lower overall food costs are all ranked low.
n=18Q: Why are you engaging in a strategy to increase fruits/vegetables use in your operation?
REASONS for Increasing Produce Use
Short-term Fad vs LONG-TERM TREND
n=18Q: Do you believe the focus on increasing fruits/vegetables on the menu is a short term fad that will eventually dissipate or a long-term trend that will lead to changes in guest eating behavior overall?
Without a doubt, the HMC membership believes increasing produce is a long-term trend.
KEY CHALLENGES to Increasing Produce Use
The costs of fruits & vegetables is clearly the most commonly identified challenge with regard
to increasing produce use.
That said, prep skills and guest demand, while identified by fewer HMC members were the two
challenges most likely identified as the most significant challenge to overcome.
Developing reliable supplier relationships, guest push-back and the lack of reliable
seasonal produce sources do not appear to be significant hurdles for the majority of members.
n=18Q: What types of challenges have you or do you expect to encounter in your effort to increase the use of fruits/vegetables on your menu?
Identified as single
greatest challenges
Challenge operation overcame
“I believe I have convinced my team that the use of non-traditional burger vegetables have wow factor for a burger menu.”
“Lots of emphasis on culinary skill training.”
“Fruits in general are hard for me being in a steakhouse. I am using it in some drinks and desserts but mainly as a garnish.”
“Culture - that a bit of waste is normal with fresh vegetables.”
“Menu and recipe development by clearly describing direction, focus and communication of core concept to highlight seasonal fruits and vegetables.”
“Consistency of fruit and vegetable by sourcing the fruit/vegetables directly with the growers.”
“Delivering a consistent product daily through further processed products.”
“Anecdotal thoughts from cross-functional groups as opposed to hearing the voice of the customer.”
“Developing multiple uses and application for vegetables to eliminate waste.”
“Increased labor costs. I have worked with our produce vendor to peel and dice fresh vegetables per our specifications and price constraints.”
“Customer demand. The choices we have put on are selling.”
“Prep: this was one of the largest hurdles but over the course of 2012 our kitchen teams have adapted and been able to handle the increased prep and higher level of techniques required by the new additions.”
Guest Issues
67
Perceived Guest INTEREST in More Produce
Guest interest in more produce on the menu is believed to be very high.Virtually all HMC members indicated that guest interest in having more produce on the menu exists and half indicated it is very high.
n=18Q: How interested do you believe your guests are in an increased use of fruits/vegetables on your menu?
APPEAL of More Produce for Guests
The vast majority of HMC members indicate having more produce on the menu is extremely appealing to guests.
n=18Q: How appealing do you believe an increased use of fruits/vegetables on your menu will be to your guests?
Guests are most likely to request information on nutrition and freshness.Other issues including local sourcing, seasonality and organic appear to be more niche issues rather than issues impacting a majority of guests.
Nearly 90% of HMC members indicate that a few or none of their guests request information about the produce available in the operation.
n=18Q: What information do your guests request regarding the fruits/vegetables used in your operation?
INFORMATION Requested by Guests
Communication
71
Most HMC members provide information online.While online is the most common way in which to communicate information requested by guests, HMC members use a variety of methods.
n=18Q: How do you provide information to your guests about the fruits/vegetables used in your operation?
HOW Guest Requested Information is Provided
Increasing produce use is something HMC members want to communicate. Very few are not planning to communicate these efforts to guests. Increasing produce use is a flag to wave at a time when the foodservice industry is under pressure or attack from a variety of sources.
COMMUNICATING Increased Produce Use Strategy to Guests
n=18Q: Are you or do you plan to communicate your strategy to increase the use of fruits/vegetables on your menu to your guests?Q: How do you currently or plan to communicate your efforts to your guests?
Social media 56%
On website 50%
Media advertising 44%Directly on the menu
39%
Limited time offers 39%
Press releases 33%
Table tents, posters, and other in-house signage 28%
Banners, posters, and other signage outside 28%
Other promotions (i.e. coupons, etc.) 28%
Special call out on menu board 22%
Using logos/icons on menu/menu board 22%
Brochures, etc. available on-site 22%
Special signage near or call out on drive thru menu board 17%
Special signage on buffet, salad bar, food bar, etc. 11%
By request only 0%
Internal & External Partners
74
Best internal partners for produce efforts
“Marketing team.”
“Procurement division.”
“SVP of brand development and CMO .”
“Largest proponent is our client (CEO, COO, Chief wellness officer, HR) doctors, etc.”
“Marketing Dept., Purchasing, Development and Client Relation Dept.”
“Purchasing.”
“Supply Chain and Regulatory group.”
“Purchasing, Marketing and our CI Partners.”
“Produce vendors.”
“Culinary staff.”
“The growers and manufacturers.”
“Our Suppliers and Farmers. The guest.”
“purchasing and marketing.”
Clearly, some manufacturer suppliers stand out more than others. The vast majority of HMC members believe some manufacturer suppliers stand out from the pack when it comes to working with them on increasing produce use.
BEST IN CLASS Manufacturers?
n=18Q: What share/percent of your strategy to increase fruits/vegetables on the menu will employ each of the following techniques?Q: For each of the following, will you focus on in-house development or value-added products provided by manufacturers or other suppliers?
Many manufacturer suppliers were identified as “best in class” by HMC members, but Haliburton, Costa Produce and Dole were mentioned by multiple members.
Mann Haliburton Naturipe
Fresherized Foods Tayler Farms Unilever
ConAgra Costa Produce Fresh Point
Dole McCormick Simplot
Escalon
Challenges HMC members have asked suppliers to work
on
“Vegetable/fruit side items that can also be utilized in different meal periods.”
“Split cases for small locations; Value add produce for small locations.”
“Breads: creating lower sodium bread products to hold fruit and vegetable offerings in key meal periods..”
“Pre-washing, using non-chlorine solution to sanitize the fruit/vegetables (such as ozone water), better packaging, use of nitrogen for fast freezing, higher nutritional value and ripeness of the product, non GMO seeding...”
“Supplying consistent products.”
“Flavor and value-add prep techniques - especially around grilling and caramelizing.”
“We leverage suppliers who are ingredient focused and have a full range of capabilities to provided us exceptional quality ingredients regardless of the target.”
“Specially cut fresh produce.”
ALTERNATIVE Supplier Relationships
n=18Q: Beyond manufacturers and distributors, have you entered into any other supplier relationships to help you meet your increased fruits/vegetables use goals?
Nearly 40% of HMC members have engaged in an alternative supplier relationship.Many HMC members are looking beyond traditional distributor and manufacturer relationships to facilitate increasing the use of produce.
Communicating HMC Efforts
79
COMMUNICATING HMC Activities
n=18
94% believe produce success stories should be shared.Half believe these success stories should include individual member achievements (with permission), while 44% believe the stories should be reported in aggregate only.
Key outlets for communicating these successes include HMC members (89%), industry trade groups (89%), professional organizations (83%), and industry trade publications (72%).
89% believe other findings collected by the HMC should be shared.Just under two-thirds believe this additional data should be reported in aggregate only.
