Service Inspired Restaurant Corporation and the Trans Fat

Challenge

SIR Corp. made the commitment back in Feb 2005 to the CRFA to have

nutritional information available for the menu items being served in the

Jack Astor’s restaurants by year end.

- How much did the average consumer know about Saturated and Trans fats?

- How difficult would it be to maintain current flavour profiles and reduce fats?

- Would we scare our guests out of our restaurants by making them aware of them?

The uncertainties

….leading

-SIRCorp’s focus had been on the trans fats in our menu ingredients already

*We were the first restaurant chain in Ontario to introduce trans fat free frying oil to our restaurants.

-decision was made to publish a complete list of the current allergens and nutritionals including trans fats

-it was very important to ensure the release of all information was accurate

Our Mutual Promise with our Supplier Partners…Performance, Support and

Innovation. Doing what you agreed to do, helping us, and improving

our business. It is having a business partner that we can count

on.

• Determine parameters of required information

• Utilize Foodtrak System program for analysis

• Completed for all menu items

• Where was Lab analysis required

• Financial Implications

Nutritional Analysis

The Misconception

• Is it clear that the Trans Fats listed for a retail purchased item is based on a 100gm ptn?

• Does the average consumer understand this statement?

• Do they realize how portion size effects the consumption of allowable trans fats?

Implications

• How would the removal of Trans Fats effect our culinary creativity

• Could flavours be enhanced without the addition of Trans Fats

• Could we properly communicate nutritional information to our guests

• How would we deal with changes to ingredients on the part of our vendors

ECC Net

Is this the answer to maintaining accuracy on menu ingredients?

…only the beginning

• Just as the removal of carbs with South Beach and the Atkins diet was a fad, is the focus on Trans Fats another fad that will fade from the forefront?

• What is the next Retail and Food Service focus?

Sodium

• The SIR Corp. concepts have recently introduced a Sodium reduced salt for use in the BOH and on tabletop in our key concepts, Jacks Astor's and Alice Fazooli’s

• We believe this is the next push on the Foodservice Industry

Cost of Business

• Is it the responsibility as Food Service operator to ensure our guests have all the tools to make decisions about where and what they eat?– Yes

• Is Trans fats just the beginning?– Yes

• Is there a cost to this consumer awareness?– Yes

• Are consumers willing to pay to have all the information to make an educated choice?– We believe so