GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumers often have to take restaurants’ health claims with a grain of salt; however, that may prove difficult at Boston Market. The fast-casual restaurant chain today announced it has significantly reduced sodium in several key menu items and is well on its way to reducing total sodium across its menu by an average of 15 percent by the end of the year.
The news comes on the heels of a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published report1 that cited the need for sodium reduction in restaurants. Boston Market has been working to lower sodium since 2010, when it began to test reduced sodium options at select locations. The result? No customers seemed to notice.
Based on the test, Boston Market has since rolled out the sodium reduction changes in all 458 restaurants. Sodium in the company’s mashed potatoes, its most popular side dish, has decreased by 26 percent, and while the chain decreased sodium in its stuffing by nearly 20 percent, sales of the holiday staple this season actually increased 17 percent. Additionally, Boston Market has reduced the sodium levels in its poultry gravy by 50 percent, its cornbread by 30 percent and its meatloaf by 18 percent.
“At Boston Market, we are committed to ensuring our guests enjoy delicious, home style cooking that can be part of a healthier diet,” said George Michel, CEO of Boston Market (a.k.a. “The Big Chicken”). “Modifying our recipes to create healthier options, without sacrificing taste, is another way we deliver on our mission to provide guests wholesome foods they can feel good about eating and sharing with their families.”
Today’s announcement is the latest step in a series of menu modifications to help consumers make better food choices when dining out. In 2012 Boston Market became the first restaurant chain to remove salt shakers from tables inside all locations to raise awareness of salt intake without completely eliminating the option.
The restaurant chain also announced its 100 Meals Under 550 Calories menu last month. The menu offers more than 100 combinations of delicious and satisfying entrees and sides. Boston Market is also a participant in the National Restaurant Association’s “Kids Live Well” program, and a strategic partner of the United States Department of Agriculture’s “My Plate” program.
“We know there’s always more progress to be made,” Michel added. “But variety is the spice of life, which is why we’re committed to delivering foods that are healthier and foods that are more indulgent – constant improvement in all facets of our business is how we’ve secured 13 consecutive quarters of positive same store sales.”
For additional information, visit BostonMarket.com.
About Boston Market
Boston Market Corporation, headquartered in Golden, Colorado, has given time back to busy families and individuals for 28 years with quality, home style meals at a convenient value in 458 nationwide locations. A staple on dinner tables, Boston Market prepares its fresh, never-frozen, natural chicken in signature rotisserie ovens and features an extensive selection of home style sides and made from scratch cornbread. In 2011, the company completed updates to locations across the country, adding new healthier menu items and enhancing the dine-in experience. As one of the country's largest providers of catering services, Boston Market offers convenient, same‐day orders and delivery for corporate and personal events of all sizes.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.bostonmarket.com. For the latest news and deals, follow @bostonmarket on Twitter or join us on Facebook.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “From Menu to Mouth: Opportunities for Sodium Reduction in Restaurants,” January 23, 2014: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0237.htm
