Fast Food Companies are Going "artisian"

[Rich M]

I heard this on NPR's "wait, wait don't tell me!" So I had to look it up for myself.

Basically giant fast food places like domino's and McDonald's are going for the look of foods not looking 'overprocessed' by adding imperfections to shapes to imply it was handmade even though it's still highly processed.  Other companies like Oscar Mayer are doing the same.


From the HUffPOST.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/17/dominos-mcdonalds-imperfect_n_3455020.html

Some examples

[aspiringyogini]

Thanks for posting this.  This makes me feel better about eating my imperfect veggies from the garden; now not only am I saving money and trips to the store, I'm trendy!

[NYD3030]

So they're adding a process to make the processed food look unprocessed... bwa aha ha!

Unfortunately, it will probably work...  I once Sat in the Amsterdam airport for six hours waiting for a connecting flight from Nairobi to Chicago, and there was this scrolling billboard listing all the reasons to try Mcdonalds - the beef came from family cattle farmers and only in the EU, the lettuce was selected in such and such a way, the cheese was from dutch dairy producers, etc etc etc...

So I put it to the test, and whaddaya know - a Big Mac still tastes exactly like a Big Mac, even when the cheese comes from free range non GMO artisinal organic local EU approved cows...

[destron]

Brings to mind pre-ripped jeans.

It is inevitable that, as the slow-food culture spreads, corporate food producers will look for ways to cash in. What is sad is that consumers will lap it up.

[ketchup]

Brings to mind pre-ripped jeans.

Those have always bothered me way more than they should.  Especially when I'll have actual ripped jeans from years of wear, and they look just like the brand new ones that some 16 year old paid $150 for.

[Mr Mark]

The ever evolving financial frontier. Thank you entrepreneurs!

[MgoSam]

That is a sad aspect of capitalism. Organic product were sold originally by tiny farms, but now that it has become vogue, of course the big producers are going to use the term "Organic." Though the label is the same, the quality is NOT. Or how things like Silk soy milk changed its marking from 'organic' to 'NATURAL,' which my guess is due to less standards on that. Any time a boxed item has a label on it, my guess is it is a way to save money. Coco Puff is "chocolate FLAVORED."

[Rich M]

So they're adding a process to make the processed food look unprocessed... bwa aha ha!

Unfortunately, it will probably work...  I once Sat in the Amsterdam airport for six hours waiting for a connecting flight from Nairobi to Chicago, and there was this scrolling billboard listing all the reasons to try Mcdonalds - the beef came from family cattle farmers and only in the EU, the lettuce was selected in such and such a way, the cheese was from dutch dairy producers, etc etc etc...

So I put it to the test, and whaddaya know - a Big Mac still tastes exactly like a Big Mac, even when the cheese comes from free range non GMO artisinal organic local EU approved cows...

So wait, they had all the stuff to make a really good product and they somehow processed it into typical McD's crapola?  That is totally amazing.

I admit I grew up under the Ronald McDonald-hamBurgular era where happy meals were awesome--I even remember the prized paper gift certificates at Christmas.  I grew out of that when I realized the taste of too much salt fat and sugar.  So now the only fondness I have of McDonald's is that it was a childhood experience. 

But you can see McDee's struggle over the years trying to reinvent themselves.  They are flailing and that is the clear sign that they should be avoided.  If some company has a great product, the marketing is not really necessary.  But the marketing is key for fast food.

Look at Taco Bell, trying these gourmet (Cantina Bell) burritos promoted by spokeswoman Chef Lorena Garcia.  I have to laugh.

[gdborton]

salt fat and sugar

^ yum.

I've never understood the hate fast food gets.

[arebelspy]

So they're adding a process to make the processed food look unprocessed... bwa aha ha!

Unfortunately, it will probably work...  I once Sat in the Amsterdam airport for six hours waiting for a connecting flight from Nairobi to Chicago, and there was this scrolling billboard listing all the reasons to try Mcdonalds - the beef came from family cattle farmers and only in the EU, the lettuce was selected in such and such a way, the cheese was from dutch dairy producers, etc etc etc...

So I put it to the test, and whaddaya know - a Big Mac still tastes exactly like a Big Mac, even when the cheese comes from free range non GMO artisinal organic local EU approved cows...

Huh, guess that goes to show maybe the originals aren't that bad...

[NYD3030]

So they're adding a process to make the processed food look unprocessed... bwa aha ha!

Unfortunately, it will probably work...  I once Sat in the Amsterdam airport for six hours waiting for a connecting flight from Nairobi to Chicago, and there was this scrolling billboard listing all the reasons to try Mcdonalds - the beef came from family cattle farmers and only in the EU, the lettuce was selected in such and such a way, the cheese was from dutch dairy producers, etc etc etc...

So I put it to the test, and whaddaya know - a Big Mac still tastes exactly like a Big Mac, even when the cheese comes from free range non GMO artisinal organic local EU approved cows...

Huh, guess that goes to show maybe the originals aren't that bad...

Yeah, I actually like McDonalds.  It's not the world's greatest food, but it'll do in a pinch.  And I don't think it's significantly worse than the next step up in fast food (Panera, Chipotle, etc) but costs about 1/2 as much.

[Mod Edit: Fixed Quote Tag]

[destron]

salt fat and sugar

^ yum.

I've never understood the hate fast food gets.

If I'm going to eat that much salt, fat and sugar, fast food is definitely the least delicious way to do it IMO.

[Eric]

That is a sad aspect of capitalism. Organic product were sold originally by tiny farms, but now that it has become vogue, of course the big producers are going to use the term "Organic." Though the label is the same, the quality is NOT. Or how things like Silk soy milk changed its marking from 'organic' to 'NATURAL,' which my guess is due to less standards on that. Any time a boxed item has a label on it, my guess is it is a way to save money. Coco Puff is "chocolate FLAVORED."

Organic is more than just a term.  If it's labeled organic, that means that the product has been verified to have met certain strict criteria, including the absence of pesticides anywhere in the process.  The size of the farm has nothing to do with it.

[TLV]

Organic is more than just a term.  If it's labeled organic, that means that the product has been verified to have met certain strict criteria, including the absence of pesticides anywhere in the process.  The size of the farm has nothing to do with it.

The criteria don't include the absence of all pesticides - the USDA regulations specifically include 10 different synthetic pesticides that are allowed in organic farming. And that doesn't even include any non-synthetic pesticides, which are allowed unless specifically prohibited.

Whether "organic" pesticides are less harmful (or more harmful, for that matter) than the non-"organic" ones I couldn't say. But whatever it means, the "organic" label does not mean no pesticides.

[NYD3030]

Organic is more than just a term.  If it's labeled organic, that means that the product has been verified to have met certain strict criteria, including the absence of pesticides anywhere in the process.  The size of the farm has nothing to do with it.

The criteria don't include the absence of all pesticides - the USDA regulations specifically include 10 different synthetic pesticides that are allowed in organic farming. And that doesn't even include any non-synthetic pesticides, which are allowed unless specifically prohibited.

Whether "organic" pesticides are less harmful (or more harmful, for that matter) than the non-"organic" ones I couldn't say. But whatever it means, the "organic" label does not mean no pesticides.

Yeah, that's a common misconception, that organic means *no* pesticides.  It's pretty damn hard to grow a huge crop with *no* pesticides.  My understanding is that the decreased effectiveness of a given volume of "natural" pesticide vs synthetic pesticide means that they have to use a greater amount of it or accept decreased yield.

FWIW I don't find "the naturalistic argument (or fallacy)" to be very persuasive philosophically.  "Natural" doesn't seem to have a very clear definition, and I see no reason to assume a "natural" poison is better for me than a synthetic one -- as in, would you feel better drinking a shot of snake venom vs a shot of petroleum based poison as toxic as snake venom... I would not!

[infogoon]

McDonald's has to be collectively kicking themselves for selling off Chipotle.

[sheepstache]

McDonald's has to be collectively kicking themselves for selling off Chipotle.

It was a spin-off, though, wasn't it, not a sale?  I'm sure any McDonald's executives made sure to get a chunk of Chipotle too.  In terms of having additional corporate assets, McDonald's is so huge they couldn't hope to rely on Chipotle's coffers to get them out of a jam.  I wouldn't say I'm terribly well-informed on the subject though.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/how-junk-food-can-end-obesity/309396/
The Atlantic had an interesting article on junk foods and health.  Actually I thought the article was bloated and weak, but it's an interesting perspective.  The author feels the food science behind junk food can be used for good.  He argues that processed food is not inherently bad and that it makes sense to rely on it to solve our problems by changing the nutrient and calorie contents of processed foods given the woeful lack of progress in getting people on the wrong side of the food divide to change behaviors. I liked the bit at the end about marketing.  The McLean Deluxe was such a disaster for McDonald's that now if  they do engineer their food to be healthier, they don't advertise it.

[yolfer]

Brings to mind pre-ripped jeans.

Those have always bothered me way more than they should.  Especially when I'll have actual ripped jeans from years of wear, and they look just like the brand new ones that some 16 year old paid $150 for.

LOL, I just patched a knee hole in my jeans yesterday, and when I was done I held them up to my wife and said "Well, these jeans just lost $150 in value!"

[ketchup]

Brings to mind pre-ripped jeans.

Those have always bothered me way more than they should.  Especially when I'll have actual ripped jeans from years of wear, and they look just like the brand new ones that some 16 year old paid $150 for.

LOL, I just patched a knee hole in my jeans yesterday, and when I was done I held them up to my wife and said "Well, these jeans just lost $150 in value!"

I've for a long time had the business plan to buy a normal pair of jeans, wear them every day for five years, then run them over with a lawnmower and sell them for $200.

[yolfer]

I've for a long time had the business plan to buy a normal pair of jeans, wear them every day for five years, then run them over with a lawnmower and sell them for $200.

Do it! If you have the patience! I bet you could design a method to "fast age" the jeans so you wouldn't need to sit on your inventory (literally) for 5 years.  Maybe wash them with rocks or take a belt sander to them?

[dragoncar]

I've for a long time had the business plan to buy a normal pair of jeans, wear them every day for five years, then run them over with a lawnmower and sell them for $200.

Do it! If you have the patience! I bet you could design a method to "fast age" the jeans so you wouldn't need to sit on your inventory (literally) for 5 years.  Maybe wash them with rocks or take a belt sander to them?

Er... Isn't that what the trendy jeans manufacturers are doing?  Automating the process of aging jeans?

[yolfer]

I've for a long time had the business plan to buy a normal pair of jeans, wear them every day for five years, then run them over with a lawnmower and sell them for $200.

Do it! If you have the patience! I bet you could design a method to "fast age" the jeans so you wouldn't need to sit on your inventory (literally) for 5 years.  Maybe wash them with rocks or take a belt sander to them?

Er... Isn't that what the trendy jeans manufacturers are doing?  Automating the process of aging jeans?

Ah, but if you do it yourself they become "small batch, artisanal, locally sourced" jeans.

[arebelspy]

Ah, but if you do it yourself they become "small batch, artisanal, locally sourced" jeans.

If you can figure out how to make them organic, sustainable, and eco-friendly you're golden!

[sheepstache]

Ah, but if you do it yourself they become "small batch, artisanal, locally sourced" jeans.

If you can figure out how to make them organic, sustainable, and eco-friendly you're golden!

Don't forget fair trade, free range and cage-free.  And now that everyone has helped you come up with ideas you can also call them crowd-sourced.

[TLV]

free range and cage-free 

AKA commando?

[yolfer]

LOL @ "crowd-sourced"

My wife said "Don't forget to include 'upcycled'"

[gdborton]

I'm not a designer jean purchaser, but I do recognize that "ripped jeans" amount to more than the cheapest jeans that you can find + holes.

Genuinely confused about whether you guys believe that you could be successful by selling ripped up cheap clothing...

[dragoncar]

I'm not a designer jean purchaser, but I do recognize that "ripped jeans" amount to more than the cheapest jeans that you can find + holes.

Genuinely confused about whether you guys believe that you could be successful by selling ripped up cheap clothing...

Designer jeans may very well be higher quality.  But they are still "cheap" (a few dollars in materials and labor) plus marketing overhead and profit.

[gdborton]

Designer jeans may very well be higher quality.  But they are still "cheap" (a few dollars in materials and labor) plus marketing overhead and profit.

I don't disagree.

[dragoncar]

Designer jeans may very well be higher quality.  But they are still "cheap" (a few dollars in materials and labor) plus marketing overhead and profit.

I don't disagree.

Yes I believe it is possible to be successful selling ripped up cheap clothing.