CHAPEL HILL, N.C., June 23, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food News Media, the publisher of QSR and FSR magazines, award-winning business publications for the restaurant industry, has launched the HALO Awards, which seek to recognize and honor chain restaurants that are making meaningful contributions to a healthy, active lifestyle for consumers.
Both QSR and FSR have regularly covered the healthy, active lifestyle and how restaurant chains are addressing it. Notable recent examples include Boston-based burger restaurant b. good's move to source hyper-local food by growing its own produce; system-wide sodium reductions by Subway and Chick-fil-A; and lower-calorie menu bundles from El Pollo Loco and McAlister's Deli.
"Frankly, chain restaurants take a lot of flak when it comes to nutrition," says Greg Sanders, group publisher of Food News Media. "But many chains have in fact done great things to impact health positively. We want to make sure these chains get the recognition they deserve, while also encouraging more progress throughout the industry."
The HALO Awards welcome both nominations of chains and entries directly from the chains themselves. Entries are accepted in two broad categories:
- Menu Development—Addressing health with food choices
- Lifestyle—Addressing health and activity with messaging
Within each category, Food News Media will recognize small/local, medium/regional, and large/national chains. Winners will be featured in the pages of QSR and FSR magazines and honored at an awards ceremony on October 12, 2014, in Atlanta. The ceremony will take place in conjunction with the Atlanta Foodservice Expo.
Restaurant chains are not the only ones making positive strides in the industry. Food suppliers are an equally important part of the equation, and Tyson Food Service is one that has shown its support by becoming the sponsoring partner of the HALO Awards.
"We were thrilled about this opportunity since it gives credit to restaurants that traditionally aren't talked about for their healthy or nutritious options," says Tiffany Jetter, communications senior brand manager at Tyson Food Service. "We are looking forward to seeing all the great entries come in and hope they will become an inspiration to other operators."
Entries for the awards program are due by July 31, 2014. For more information and to enter, visit www.foodnewsmedia.com/halo .
About Food News Media
Food News Media, the parent company of FSR and QSR magazines, offers a full suite of media products to help operators and marketers connect with the entire $600 billion-plus U.S. restaurant industry. For more than two decades, the Chapel Hill, North Carolina–based publishing company has built a reputation for thought leadership and reporting on trends in dining for the American consumer.
About Tyson Food Service
Tyson Food Service is a division of Tyson Foods, Inc. Plenty of companies specialize in one type of food. But only Tyson Food Service has the expertise, insights, and production capabilities to give restaurants so much more. More quality, more price points, and more menu options---all from one trusted place. The 2,500+ products from Tyson Food Service cover all dayparts, menu parts, and price points across six core brands: Tyson®, BONICI®, Wright® Brand, Mexican Original®, IBP Trusted Excellence®, and Lady Aster®. Visit www.TysonFoodService.com for more information on any of our products and business building tools that can be Working at the Heart of Your Menu™.
Greg Sanders 919-945-0713
