Restaurant chain keen to go lean
Harvey's.
Cara Operations Ltd, owners of such popular restaurants as Harvey's, announced today that more than 700 of its restaurants across Canada will begin using non-hydrogenated margarines and oils beginning immediately.
The Mississauga-based food chain that owns the popular Swiss Chalet, Milestones, Montana's, Kelsey's and Harvey's Restaurants is cutting the fat.
Cara Operations Ltd. announced today that more than 700 of its restaurants across Canada will begin using non-hydrogenated margarines and oils beginning immediately 2008, well ahead of the timelines set out by the federal government.
Charles Hayes, vice-president of food and beverage design for Cara, says the firm "is poised to be the first national, full-service branded restaurant company to meet the Trans Fat Task Force's recommended limits. Cara remains committed to ensuring healthy choices for Canadians. In fact, Harvey's was the first quick-service restaurant in Canada to use a trans fat free cooking oil, implemented concurrently by the other Cara chains."
Beginning early in the new year, the restaurant chain will use vegetable oils and spreads that have two per cent or fewer trans fats. Trans fats are higher in saturated fats than non-hydrogenated oils and have been linked to higher rates of cholesterol and heart disease.
"We applaud Cara for its move today in implementing reductions to trans fats so quickly and across so many brands and locations," said Sally Brown, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and co-chair of the Trans Fat Task Force. "We are pleased to see leadership by Cara in helping Canadians reduce their intake of trans fats."
Cara also announced today that detailed nutritional information about the food served in the chain's restaurants will be printed on menus by New Year's Day. It will also be available online.
That's something health groups have been demanding for years, so health-conscious diners can know exactly how much fat and salt they are getting in each dish.
Cara is located on Airport Rd. in Malton.
jstewart@mississauga.net
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