Celebrated saying dropped
KFC is no longer ‘finger lickin’ good’ – at least, not according to its new slogan. Sky.com reports that the company has dropped its famous catchphrase in favour of the much simpler motto, ‘so good.’ The change has already taken place in America, and will be coming to Britain in the next few months – an exciting development, according to head of UK and Ireland operations, Martin Shuker. “(It’s about) more than just a new slogan,” he says. “It’s about becoming better at everything we do, including our great-tasting food, the work we do with our people, and the way we operate in the local community.” The term ‘finger lickin’ good’ was coined in the 1950s, after a member of the public complained about an actor licking his hands during a KFC commercial. His response? “Well, it’s finger lickin’ good.”
Common ingredient gets the cut
Americans are being urged to pay extra attention the next time they place an order at Wendy’s. According to Delish.com, customers to the fast-food chain must now ask if they want a slice of tomato included with their burger. The move comes after bad weather damaged crops in Florida and Mexico (the country’s two main sources of tomatoes), halving the normal yield and doubling prices. Wendy’s director of communications, Kitty Munger, has assured the public that the decision to make tomatoes a request-only item is temporary. “We’ve heard the shortage will continue through mid-April. Once the new crop is in, it’ll be just a few days until customers see (tomatoes) in stores again.”
Fast-food meets fine-dining
The world’s most popular burger chain has adopted a practice typically used by restaurants. Delish.com reports that 50 of McDonald’s French stores are now offering table service, with more set to follow. This is available at ‘golden arches’ that have both McCafe counters and touch-screen systems, and involves customers ordering their food via either of these services, then waiting for staff to bring it to their table. The American company has introduced this service in order to appeal more to French tastes, and has refined its menu for the same reason – whole-wheat buns, macarons and burgers topped with goat’s cheese are some of the higher-end options on offer, while one Parisian store offers a salad bar but no burgers.
Sexist soda?
Time.com reports that a diet soft-drink designed specifically for men has gone on sale in America. Made by Dr Pepper, it has just 10 calories per can and carries the slogan ‘not for women.’ Critics are uncertain about how the product will perform, given that females are typically the ones concerned with their weight and previous attempts at low-calorie beverages by Diet Coke, Pepsi Max, Diet 7-Up and Diet Mountain Dew have all failed. However Dr Pepper is confident that its drink will be a success, thanks in part to a ‘manly’ advertising campaign – the television commercial, for example, features a re-enactment from the famous action movie, Rambo.
Taste of times gone by
The world’s oldest wedding cake is now on display at the Willis Museum in Britain, according to Trendhunter.com. The four-tiered confection was made in 1898 – making it 113 years old – and donated to the museum after being kept in an attic for several decades. Amazingly, the icing and decorations remain intact; while tests reveal that the inside of the cake is still moist. In fact, the only visible sign of damage is a crack down the middle, caused by World War II bombers.
Finding friendship over food
Springwise.com recently ran a story on Grubwithus, an online organisation that aims to help people “build friendship over food” by arranging meals with complete strangers. Through its website, people can select one of several restaurants to eat at, for a fixed price and time (usually two hours) – but they don’t get to choose who they dine with. Early bookers are even offered cheaper prices for being “brave enough to eat with anyone.” Grubwithus currently offers meals in San Francisco and Chicago, with New York next on the list.
Intelligent wrapping
A new type of packaging that can detect food ‘off’ food is being developed in Glasgow, Scotland. According to Bbc.co.uk, researchers at Strathclyde University are using special plastics to create indicators that change colour when goods loose their freshness due to broken or damaged packaging, poor refrigeration and other factors. “We hope this will reduce the risk of people eating food which is no longer fit for consumption and help prevent unnecessary waste of food,” says the man in charge of the project, Professor Andrew Mills. Figures show that one million cases of food poisoning occur in Britain each year; while more than eight million tonnes of food (most of which can be eaten) is thrown away.
Juicy new trend
Consumers across the globe are being introduced to some rather unusual juice drinks, according to Datamonitor.com. These include Stur-D, a blue-coloured beverage recently launched in the States by Coca Cola. It is the first drink to get its colour solely from fruit – in this case, the blue agave – and also contains vitamin C, vitamin D and calcium. Furthermore, Coca Cola has released an apple juice called Cappy Cale Jabklo in Poland, which uses every part of the ingredient including the peel, pulp and core. And in Russia, Svay has launched a tea made from black prunes – a fruit known for its high fibre content. Cesar Pereira, a research manager at Product Launch Analytics (a division of Datamonitor), gives her thoughts on this juicy new trend. “We have identified a number of new juices launched recently which focus on the pure nature of their ingredients. This reflects how manufacturers are reacting to a demand for healthier drinks and more transparency in formulations. We predict that manufacturers will continue to look closely at the ingredients that go into juices to ensure consumers remain convinced by claims of health benefits.”
