There probably aren't too many consumers who go into a Dunkin' Donuts who are concerned that the items they will buy are nutritionally wanting. With that as a backdrop, how are the chain's core customers likely to react to the its decision to switch from hydrogenated oils to a blend using oils from palm, soybean and cottonseed?
As of Oct. 15, items on the menus at each of Dunkin' Donuts 5,400 locations will qualify under federal guidelines to be labeled as containing zero grams of fat. The company, an Associated Press report pointed out, is able to make the zero grams claim as long as items have less than half a gram of trans fat.
Jeff Cronin, spokesperson for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, expressed approval for the chain's decision.
"It's good news that they're dropping most, if not quite all, trans fat," he said. "If Dunkin' Donuts can do that, anyone can."
While the nutritional profile of Dunkin's doughnuts may be improved, the company has not sought to position its foods as being nutritious.
"The goal was not to make a healthy doughnut, it was really to create a doughnut that was better," said Joe Scafido, Dunkin's chief creative and innovation officer told The Associated Press. "Certainly, we did not create a healthy doughnut."
Dunkin' Donuts is moving to its recipe reformulation after testing its new oil blend in 400 locations around the country.
"We got no negative consumer feedback, and we sold 50 million doughnuts in that time," Mr. Scafido said.
Krispy Kreme, one of Dunkin' Donuts' chief rivals, is not ready yet to introduce doughnuts made with little or no trans fats. Company spokesperson Brian Little said, "We continue to work aggressively with outside supply partners, and our goal is to get to zero trans fatty acids while maintaining great Krispy Kreme taste."
Another competitor to Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks, plans to eliminate the use of artificial trans fats by the end of the year.
Discussion Questions: How will core consumers of Dunkin' Donuts react to the news the company is changing the oil it uses to make doughnuts, cookies and muffins? Will the reformulation bring in new consumers? What do you think of the company's decision to downplay the health aspect of its switch to a new cooking oil blend?