Atlanta-based Morrison today announced it has become the first healthcare food service contract company to commit to The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and its Hospital Healthy Food Initiative. Morrison’s commitment along with that of its clients could impact 41 million patients served annually and 403 million guest meals sold in cafes, vending areas and kiosks annually.
May 1, 2013

Could Impact More Than 500 Million Hospital Meals Annually

ATLANTA – Atlanta-based Morrison today announced it has become the first healthcare food service contract company to commit to The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and its Hospital Healthy Food Initiative. Morrison’s commitment along with that of its clients could impact 41 million patients served annually and 403 million guest meals sold in cafes, vending areas and kiosks annually.

“This commitment is an extension of our already well-established wellness platform initiatives and programs, which align with PHA goals and the mission of their organization,” said Tim Pierce, CEO, Morrison. “We’ve been at the forefront of the industry on health and wellness for more than two decades. The PHA partnership is an extension of our philosophy of offering wholesome, nutritious, and better-for-you foods and will allow us to make healthful choices easy and even more accessible to millions of patients, staff and visitors.”

The PHA Hospital Healthy Food Initiative seeks to move healthcare institutions toward delivering nutritious options to meet the needs of the children, families and communities they serve. In joining the initiative, Morrison agrees to make a commitment to adopt standards for nutrition labeling, healthy food marketing, wellness meal offerings, elimination of deep fat fryers, increases in healthy beverages and increases in fruits and vegetables offered.

“Morrison’s commitment not only brings more healthy options to patients, staff and the families and friends of those they care for; it also reaches beyond the walls of the hospitals to impact the entire food system,” said PHA CEO Lawrence A. Soler. “Today’s announcement will dramatically increase the number of hospitals that are part of PHA’s Hospital Healthy Food Initiative, the single most expansive effort in hospital food and nutrition in the industry. We are thrilled that Morrison is joining the fight to increase access to healthier options, so that people who want to can make the healthier choice.”

Using the latest research on healthful eating and incorporating techniques that influence behavioral change in food consumption, Morrison will improve the health profile of the hospitals it serves by implementing such changes as:

• eliminating 5.7 million pounds of sugar from bottled beverages
• switching to exclusive use of whole grain or legume-based pasta in the 3.7 million pounds of pasta we serve each year
• offering whole grains as an alternative to the 1.9 million pounds of rice served annually
• offering better-for-you foods in place of high impulse low-nutrient food at cash registers
• reducing fat calories by using healthier, misted oils exclusively in appropriate applications
• and featuring images of healthy nutrient-rich food in our regular marketing promotions

“We believe we have a responsibility to help change people’s lives through healthier food environments,” Pierce said. “By joining with PHA, we can help hospitals in their mission of becoming models of healthful eating and implementing practices that support a more robust and healthier food system. We want to support healthcare institutions as they encourage behavioral change in the hospital environment and the community.”

In 2010 Morrison became the first national contractor to sign the Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge from Healthcare Without Harm. Morrison has also implemented the purchase of rBGH free dairy products, meat without the routine use of antibiotics as well as working directly with suppliers to eliminate added trans fats and to reduce sodium in food processing.

###

About Morrison Healthcare
Morrison Healthcare, a member of Compass Group, is the nation’s only food service company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and dining services to the healthcare industry. With more than 1,300 registered dietitians, 450 executive chefs and 19,000 professional food service team members, Morrison is actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service. The Atlanta-based company serves approximately 550 hospitals and integrated healthcare systems in the United States.

About The Partnership for a Healthier America
The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is devoted to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation’s youth by solving the childhood obesity crisis. In 2010, PHA was created in conjunction with – but independent from – First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Effort. PHA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that is led by some of the nation’s most respected health and childhood obesity experts. PHA brings together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies to end childhood obesity. Most important, PHA ensures that commitments made are commitments kept by working with unbiased, third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress our partners are making. For more information about PHA, please visit www.aHealthierAmerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.