Monday, June 2, 2008

"Armageddon" has arrived for the food biz!


Today's post on the blog of Marketing Magazine reports on PETA's victory in their fight with the owners of the Canadian KFC franchises. From now on, chickens shall be gassed for a more humane transition into their frozen afterlives. I hope it's part laughing gas they're using, for happier fryers. Will there be any residue traveling through the systems of deliriously silly KFC customers, giving a whole new meaning to "Happy Meals"? Oh, wait - that's the competition.

KFC Canada president Steve Langford said he was delighted with the agreement: "Our preference is to have nothing negative attached to our brand." I'm sure we'll get roasted, somehow.

Furthermore, KFC Canada announced that they'll be serving "vegan chicken". Two questions: Why? What will be gassed?

In a somewhat related news bit, Reuters writes that food giants like Kraft, General Mills, Sara Lee, ConAgra, Unilever and Danone all expressed their commitment to healthier products, to fight off the effects of the weak U.S. economy and help price hikes stick after a big leap in commodity costs.

Basically, these guys want to exploit the growing trend to buy fresher, healthier foods by marketing their same old junk with one or two great-sounding additions (omega-3! blah-blah-blah...), at a premium price. Another reason to go shopping at your local farmers market.

Follow this link for a list of "America's Top 10 Farmers Markets & 4 Farm-Fresh Recipes".

(Translation of the talk bubbles on top: the left bunny says "my butt hurts!"; the right bunny asks "what?")

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

They're going to gas vegans? What? LOL.

Yes, how nice of the food giants to care about ensuring "healthy" processed foods for consumers, especially if they're outrageously high-priced. Their concern for the weak economy is also duly noted.

Achim "Chef Keem" Thiemermann said...

It's a gas, ain't it?