Back in April, Subway announced it was slashing sodium by 28% in all of its Fresh Fit sandwiches, which include the turkey breast, Subway Club, the new Orchard Chicken salad and seven other sandwiches. It also cut sodium by 15% across its entire menu.
The fact that it made the reduction is remarkable in and of itself. But also unique is that the company actually announced it.
Since sodium entered the crosshairs a few years ago, many manufacturers have opted to stealthily reduce sodium from their products out of concern that consumers have a negative perception of low-sodium foods.
[image-nocss]In fact, Subway has been slowly making reductions here and there over the past two years. "This particular reduction had been in the system for a couple of months and the consumers didn't seem to notice any difference at all, which was our goal," Subway dietitian Lanette Kovachi tells Fare Digest.
"That's been a common strategy for food companies to make these changes silently. But we recognize that there's a segment of our customers that want to know about this change, that they do have a focus on healthier balanced eating," she adds.
The Milford, Conn.-based chain decided to look at all components of its sandwiches -- breads, meats and condiments. It had plenty of vendors that wanted to help out, says Kovachi, but the biggest hurdle faced was coordinating the products across its network of stores and distributors.
The chain looked at textures and flavors to ensure the products maintained their integrity -- as well as food safety, because sodium helps keep meat safe to eat.
"It was a very long and challenging process, but we came out with a really great-tasting product that still maintains the integrity, quality and safety that we've always had," Kovachi says.
Based on its menu, this might be an easier undertaking for Subway than others. "It's a natural extension of what we already do," Kovachi says, pointing out that when the Fresh Fit menu was first introduced, the sandwiches already existed on the regular menu; this just grouped them together.
Next on the health horizon for Subway is an increased focus on fortified foods including egg whites and more healthy snacks and sides for combo meals.
Watch for the June issue of Fare magazine for more information on how operators and manufacturers are increasing healthy choices in the marketplace.
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