To your health

I was traveling at the end of September and opened my USA Today to see a story about how Subway is selling Kids Pak meals that focus on health. (By the way, when did "pak" become the accepted spelling of pack? But that's the subject of another commentary.)

The story also discussed what other fast-food chains are doing to take advantage of the trend towards healthier meals by testing menu variations. The story went on to say "...healthier food is filtering down to the $10 billion kids meal sector-considered by many fast-food executives as one of the industry's critical links."

Of course, there have been countless stories reporting the nation's obesity rates reaching epidemic proportions.

Then on Oct. 27 National Public Radio's Morning Edition ran a story about the decline in bread and pasta sales nationally, attributed to the interest in low- or no-carbohydrate diets. A recent survey stated that 6 to 10 percent of Americans are making dietary changes to reduce carbohydrates. The National Bread Leadership Council convened a Bread Summit to address this growing trend.

Capitalizing on the healthy eating trend, specialty food suppliers are introducing sugar-free, low-carbohydrate foodstuffs from sugar-free chocolate to low carbohydrate bread, beer, ice cream and other snacks.

Reuters ran a story a few weeks ago reporting from London that red wine, long touted as helpful for high cholesterol, could also help your lungs. It seems to have a positive effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

Dr. Andrew Weil, the guru of integrative healing and natural health, has come out in favor of cheese as a good protein source. The Atkins diet also endorses cheese.

I recently visited a large distributor in Southern New England. As the president of the company took me through a huge series of cooled warehouses, I marveled at the variety of produce and cheeses from all over the world. It wasn't just the variety that impressed, it was the fact that much of the produce was organic and all the products were selected with particular care to satisfy the most demanding chefs and specialty retailers.

So, these are interesting tidbits, but what's the point? The gourmet food business is on the cutting edge of a clear national trend toward healthier food. Cheese, fresh and organic produce, wine, natural foods are all part of eating healthy. Specialty food retailers need to be sure their customers know they carry these products. But more than that, they need to keep aware of national dietary trends and position themselves to help the retail buyer make a knowledgeable decision about how their products fit the buyer's lifestyle. By doing so, everyone benefits.

Rick Rector

Publisher

rrector@gourmetnews.com

Copyright United Publications, Inc. Dec 2003
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