I was reading an article on USAToday.com about Burger King and its latest breakfast initiative -- apparently, it's a big breakfast initiative. Looks like the King doesn't want to bow down in total to the current trend that has food corporations chasing after health-conscious consumers. The new breakfast sandwich -- with the blunt, in-your-face moniker of the Enormous Omelet Sandwich -- is dense with fat and is targeting patrons who will never exchange their Whoppers for sensible salads. It's an interesting salvo aimed at competitors McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) and Wendy's (NYSE:WEN), and a contrarian one at that, considering that all the fast-food companies have been trying to get healthier (check out Wendy's fruit plans and Mickey D's exercising ambitions).
Fear not, though; the health movement has not been completely abandoned just yet. I also came across a press release from Kraft (NYSE:KFT) touting a fresh line of smarter snacks for kids. Dubbed KidSense Fun Packs, the products will feature traditional Nabisco offerings such as Ritz crackers and Teddy Grahams in "reformulated" versions that supposedly reduce bad fats and sugars without sacrificing taste. (I'll have to do a taste test myself to see whether the yummy flavor is indeed preserved.)
There have arguably been signs that food fads like the Atkins diet have been on the downturn for a while now. There is, however, one thing that will never go away -- the development of healthier edibles for kids. Parents will always be on the lookout to help their offspring get off the fat wagon; many are caught up in indefatigable battles to ensure that the formative years are not merely training sessions for a lifelong war against the gut (and worse things, such as cholesterol plaque).
As long as food purveyors continue to target parents with grub that has the green light for children, they should see positive results. Kraft is employing correct strategy here, and should concentrate its efforts in this area. The number of adults desiring better bodies may cycle up and down, but the number of adults who want their children to be fit should only increase over time.
Related articles:
- Kraft: Not for Kids?
- McDonald's Gets Movin'
- Kraft Kills Road Kill
- Let Them Eat Fruit!
- Also check out the Kraft discussion board.
Fool contributor Steven Mallas owns none of the companies mentioned.
