Chick-fil-A Adds Organic Drink and Superfood Salad to its Menu
In a first for this fast food provider, Chick-fil-A is venturing into the world of organic foods, having launched its first organic menu option on Jan. 18.
Honey Kids’ Appley Ever After juice drink can now be found across the country following a test in Orlando that proved to be successful. The beverage, which contains no added sugar, won’t cost any more than the establishments’ other children’s drinks. [1]
Children also have a choice of low-fat regular and chocolate milk, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. [2]
Recently, Chick-fil-A announced that it would be adding a new Superfood Side option to its menu that includes broccolini (a hybrid of broccoli and kale that resembles young broccoli) and kale. It contains 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates, and 16 grams of sugar for an 8-ounce portion. A 5-ounce portion is also available, that contains 140 calories and has a significantly leaner nutritional profile.
The chopped raw kale and broccolini are tossed in a maple vinaigrette, topped with dried cherries, and roasted walnuts, almonds and pecans are added for a delicious crunch. The Superfood Side can be swapped in place of a regular side in any combo meal for an additional 94 cents. [3]
In 2014, Chick-fil-A promised that it would start using only antibiotic-free chicken within 5 years. The chain said it was partnering up with national and regional poultry suppliers to stock up on the drug-free fowl. The company also said it wanted its suppliers to work in tandem with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure the birds are not unnecessarily medicated.
“Since our family business began 67 years ago, we have focused on our customers. It’s why we insist upon using the highest quality ingredients,” Dan Cathy, president and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A, said in a statement. “We want to continue that heritage, and offering antibiotic-free chicken is the next step.” [4]
The announcement came less than 4 months after the animal activist group Mercy for Animals filmed chickens bound for Chick-fil-A restaurants being kicked by workers and scalded alive with boiling water, among other things, at a chicken factory farm in Puckett, Mississippi, and a slaughterhouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Warning: This video is sad and cruel.
Chick-fil-A said it no longer used Koch Foods, the owner of both facilities, as a supplier, but Mercy for Animals disputed that claim.
“We talked with managers and workers at Koch Foods who all confirmed that they supply chickens to Chick-fil-A,” Mercy for Animals’ investigations director Matt Rice said. “We’re disappointed that they’re trying to deny this.”
That same year, the company announced that it would remove dyes and high-fructose corn syrup from a number of their foods by 2019.
While it’s possible the moves made by Chick-Fil-A may be executed primarily to gain a better reputation in the public’s eyes, it is still a clear victory and sign that our collective voice is sparking change in the food industry.
Sources:
[1] NBC News
[2] MarketWatch
[3] Newsday
[4] CNN
