Did you know that almost 1 in 10 people have some form of a food allergy which forces them to eat food that does not contain high fructose, wheat, nuts or proteins that are not injected with hormones and antibiotics? On a recent trip to a new Whole Foods Market in Irvine, CA, I was pleasantly surprised as to the quality of the food and merchandising that caters toward this health-conscious crowd and those with special eating requirements.
It is clear that healthy eating is not a trend but a movement. What is even more apparent is the need for foodservice establishments to address the needs of this ever-growing group of eaters, or else miss out on a large opportunity for expansion. Consumers realize that as they get older they have to change the way they think about food if they want to live longer. Additionally, the obesity epidemic in American has created a large concern amongst our population.
What does this mean to the restaurant owner? Are you providing nutritional information to your guests? Do you have a selection of menu offerings that speaks to this market? Have you set any internal standards for developing nutritionally sound menu selections? The FDA now requires that restaurant companies (with more than 20 units) to provide nutritional information on their menu in accordance to the new health care legislation. Under this law, restaurants are required to post their food’s calorie content and other nutritional content including, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, fiber and protein must be available upon request. With some food items with many ingredients, this task can become rather complex and results may be inaccurate. In an effort to support this new movement and law, Synergy has developed a special team that provides nutritional analysis for foodservice establishments.
More food for thought: beyond the bare-bones compliance of the new law, it is crucial to consider your existing food offerings – does your menu contain healthy alternatives? Do you have vegetarian choices? Do you have any vegan menu selections? In what ways can you cater to this healthy movement? Constant menu development remains an important topic in the restaurant industry which is why we at Synergy focus on this subject with all of our clients.