| Yesterday the state of California passed a law | | | | this issue closely. If you want to turn this into a |
| outlawing the use of "trans fats" in the 88,000 | | | | positive, you would be wise to revise your menu |
| restaurants, bakeries, delicatessens, cafeterias and | | | | completely, quickly. |
| other businesses classified as 'food facilities'. | | | | While your new version of the menu is at the |
| Beginning in 2010 for most, and 2011 for bakeries, | | | | printers, you can take the bull by the horns and |
| these businesses will - in the preparation of any | | | | produce a hand-out flyer (or menu insert page) |
| foods - have to discontinue use of oils, margarine | | | | that each server presents to new guests. The |
| and shortening containing trans fats. | | | | flyer should address the issue of 'trans fats' and |
| Amazingly, packaged foods will be exempt. (I | | | | what you - as a responsible and responsive |
| suppose all the obese children the lawmakers | | | | restaurateur - are doing about it. Explain that you |
| were targeting with this law, will no longer be | | | | have totally re-designed your menu items and the |
| buying anything in a grocery or convenience | | | | way they are cooked, completely eliminating any |
| store). | | | | trans fats. Let them know that your new menu is |
| The California Restaurant Association stated that | | | | at the printers; but just in case they had any |
| most outlets had already stopped using trans | | | | concerns, all the items on the current menu are |
| fats; because they had responded to consumer | | | | now prepared trans fat-free. |
| demand. | | | | When you re-design your new menu, make sure |
| There is a key marketing lesson in this for any | | | | to take the opportunity to use some good |
| independent restaurateur. | | | | copywriting to explain that you don't use trans |
| You don't have to wait until your state passes | | | | fats and why. |
| this type of law. You don't have to wait for your | | | | Don't wait for the lawmakers to order you or the |
| 'head office's marketing department' to decide | | | | media to embarrass you into changing. Be |
| how the new menus will look. | | | | proactive and one of the very first in your trading |
| You can move on this...now. | | | | area to bring it to the attention of your current |
| Consumers have spoken; the media are covering | | | | and potential guests. |