Morrison Healthcare Brands Its Comprehensive Wellness and Sustainability Platform Mindful Choices(SM)

ATLANTA, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Morrison Healthcare today announced that it has branded its comprehensive wellness and sustainability platform, Mindful Choices^SM. The brand announcement supports the company's ongoing implementation of its cohesive wellness and sustainability programs in its hospital and health system cafes across the U.S. The company also released a new pea pod logo to accompany the announcement, which symbolizes its strong commitment to the health and wellness of its patients, caregivers and guests.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131218/CL35562LOGO )

"Wellness and sustainability are extremely important and evolving conversations that are taking place in Healthcare," said Morrison Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Tim Pierce.  "Our Mindful Choices^SM platform is growing and evolving as we continue to provide clients with unique solutions and a national implementation of prevention-based programs and initiatives."

Morrison's broad-based Mindful Choices^SM platform includes everything from supply chain changes to wellness and sustainability commitments. Morrison Healthcare is working with its client hospital and health systems to implement firm standards for healthy food marketing, wellness meal offerings, nutrition labeling, food preparation, healthy beverages, and fruit and vegetable offerings.

"We have strong relationships with Partnership for a Healthier America, Health Care Without Harm and the Healthy Hospitals Initiative, which have helped strengthen our leadership position in wellness," Pierce continued. "By leveraging these important partnerships and implementing changes nationally, we are making Mindful Choices^SM easy and accessible to millions in our hospitals and health systems."

During the past year, Morrison has been implementing its innovative Great Living Menu for patients, which includes a 44% reduction of sodium and a 33% reduction in calories from the standard hospital patient menu.  Using the latest research on healthful eating and incorporating techniques that influence behavioral change in food consumption, Morrison hospitals are in the process of:

• Offering better-for-you foods at cash registers in place of high impulse, low-nutrient food
• Reducing the annual percentage of fried foods offered
• Offering reduced portion sizes of sugar-sweetened beverages
• Switching to exclusive use of whole grain or legume based pasta
• Offering whole grains as an alternative to rice
• Using misted olive oils exclusively in appropriate applications
• Featuring images of healthy nutrient-rich food in its ongoing marketing promotions

In addition, Morrison cafes are enhancing the wellness and sustainability environment with initiatives such as cooking demonstrations, seasonal tables, and on-site Farmer's Markets as well as community events such as community cooking demonstrations, healthy eating DVDs, a community website, wellness teaching kitchens, and wellness and sustainability summits.

In 2010, Morrison became the first national contractor to sign the Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge from Health Care 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 is a leading national food and nutrition services company exclusively dedicated to serving more than 600 hospitals and healthcare systems. Morrison's hospital kitchens, restaurants and cafes feature socially responsible practices and exceptional guest experiences. The company's Mindful Choices^SM platform includes the latest in healthful eating and an understanding of behavioral change in food consumption. Morrison has joined the Partnership for a Healthier America's (PHA) Hospital Healthy Food Initiative by committing 400 of its hospitals to improve the nutrition of patient meals and onsite food options. Morrison's alignment with PHA will positively impact up to 41 million patients and 500 million hospital meals annually. The Atlanta-based company was recently named one of Modern Healthcare magazine's "Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2013". The company is a division of Compass Group and has more than 1,300 registered dietitians, 450 executive chefs and 19,000 professional food service team members. Visit www.morrisonhealthcare.com for more information.

SOURCE Morrison Healthcare