In recent years the
fast food industry has been served with an ultimatum to shape up or ship out. This has seen an unprecedented diversification on some of the most famous menus globally. It seems everyone is jumping on the proverbial healthy eating bandwagon, including relative industry newcomer Healthy Habits – whose produce recently came up trumps on many levels in a comparative study of some of the biggest names in the sandwich and fast-food industry.
To analyse the nutritional value of their product,
Healthy Habits commissioned Food & Nutrition Australia, an independent nutrition organisation. In August, 2005, Food & Nutrition Australia compared six similar chicken roll style products from Healthy Habits, McDonalds, Subway and Hungry Jacks using information available on company websites. Some key findings are detailed below.
1. The Healthy Habits chicken baguette is more than double the size of similar products offered by the other popular food outlets listed above.
2. The Healthy Habits chicken baguette contains per serve:
- At least 14% less total fat than the other outlets' 'healthier' options analysed and up to 79% less total fat than the other outlets' regular menu items which were analysed
- At least 40% less saturated fat than the other outlets' 'healthier' options analysed and up to 88% less saturated fat than the other outlets' regular menu items analysed
- 1.2 – 2.2 times more protein than the other outlets' menu items analysed
3. The Healthy Habits chicken baguette contains per 100 grams:
- At least 31% less kilojoules than the other outlets"healthier' options analysed and up to 58% less kilojoules than the other outlets' regular menu items which were analysed
- At least 65% less total fat than the other outlets' 'healthier' options analysed and up to 91 % less total fat than the other outlets' regular menu items which were analysed
- At least 71 % less saturated fat than the other outlets' 'healthier' options analysed and up to 94% less saturated fat than the other outlets' regular menu items which were analysed
- At least 41% less sodium than the other outlets' 'healthier' options analysed and up to 66% less sodium than the other outlets' regular menu items which were analysed.
Despite rising obesity levels and other health problems, new research shows Australians are the most fat-conscious country in the Asia Pacific. A global opinion poll conducted by AC Nielsen in August found Australians have the highest level of understanding of nutritional labelling on groceries in the Asia Pacific region.
The report, which surveyed over 20,000 people in 38 countries, found that over 93% of Australians refer to the nutritional labelling on products, checking primarily for fat and sugar content.
As the overwhelming majority of Australians are increasingly becoming more informed about their fat and sugar intake, the fast-food industry has had to adapt to cater to the demands of a health-conscious market. The research conducted by Food and Nutrition Australia demonstrates how useful it is to take a closer look at the 'healthy' options available. Healthy Habits believes that there is no substitute for quality.
Healthy Habits has forged its niche in the market by seeking the freshest produce and researching the healthiest cooking methods to ensure sandwich ingredients are truly healthy and nutritious. It also provides customers with excellent choice and the opportunity to customise their sandwich – there are no set menus at all.
It has probably not escaped your attention that Healthy Habits has adopted the 'build your own sandwich' approach. It would be unfair to suggest that this is copying Subway – although the ingredients might be plain, you can build your own sandwich at most milk bars – but it's unlikely that rising competitors would refrain from studying Subway's formula. And Healthy Habits makes its point sharply by providing no menu suggestions at all.
Our third angle is unique product. Melbourne-based Trios has developed and trade-marked the Laffe – based on the flat Lebanese bread the founding brothers' mother used to bake because it was otherwise unavailable. The brothers were at the forefront of the re-birth of Melbourne's café society in 1991 and this strategy is an outcome based on knowledge of that market – it's not that far from latte to laffe. Once again, it's interesting to see what the company says about itself without any substantial edit of the material. You will note a solid difference in tone.
24-Jul-2007