SUBWAY® Restaurants Become First in the Industry to Meet and Receive the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Meal Certification

MILFORD, Conn., June 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Eating healthier just got easier at SUBWAY® restaurants. Today, the world's largest restaurant chain, announces that they are the first and only quick service restaurant to apply and meet the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Meal Certification Program nutritional criteria. This prestigious meal certification from the American Heart Association, the nation's most recognized and trusted authority on heart health, which comes after a nearly 12 year relationship, is a reflection of SUBWAY® restaurants' relentless drive to enhance its products and be the health trailblazer in the quick serve restaurant category by offering fans nutritious options that do not sacrifice taste or variety. SUBWAY® restaurants' fans will have a variety of meal offerings that meet the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Meal Certification Program requirements on nutritional criteria for heart-health, while also promoting taste and flavor.

The iconic Heart-Check logo will be present on SUBWAY® restaurant menus nationwide. Fans will find the Heart-Check on all SUBWAY FRESH FIT® meals featuring a variety of 6" inch subs served with apple slices and water and SUBWAY FRESH FIT FOR KIDS™ meals served with apple slices and 12 ounce low-fat milk, along with a selection of salads served with apple slices, water and sweet onion dressing. These meals meet the Heart-Check's nutritional criteria for levels of sodium, calories, cholesterol, saturated fat and trans-fats. All of the Heart-Check items must be prepared using the recipes approved and certified to meet American Heart Association nutritional standards.

"Being the first restaurant to meet the stringent nutritional standards required for the American Heart Association's Heart-Check Certification program is another health milestone for SUBWAY® Restaurants," said Tony Pace, Sr. Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer of the SUBWAY® Brand. "The Heart-Check reinforces our leadership as a healthy food option for the many Americans who want a simple way to enjoy eating better."

The American Heart Association and the SUBWAY® restaurant brand share the common goal to help consumers practice healthier eating. SUBWAY® restaurants will continue to provide better-for-you options as part of the menu offerings and be a category leader as a healthier fast food alternative that meets consumers' nutritional needs and expectations for taste, convenience and value.  The QSR chain is also a national supporter of the American Heart Association's My Heart My Life healthy living initiative, specifically sponsoring Jump Rope for Heart, Hoops for Heart, and Heart Walks. 

"From providing better-for-you options, such as the Fresh Fit Meals, to our continued efforts to identify areas to improve our products, like reducing sodium across the board and fortifying our bread with calcium and vitamin D, our commitment to providing great tasting foods, which can be incorporated into a healthier lifestyle, is steadfast," said Lanette Kovachi, Corporate Dietitian for the SUBWAY® restaurant brand. "We know we stand apart from others in the QSR industry for our leadership in these areas and we look to keep this momentum going as we move forward and push the nutritional profiles of our food further."

For more information about SUBWAY® restaurants' American Heart Association Heart-Check certified meals please visit: Facebook.com/subway, twitter.com/subway, and www.subway.com. Additional information about the Heart-Check Meal Certification from American Heart Association or other ways the organization is helping consumers eat healthy and stay fit, visit www.heartcheckmark.org.

About SUBWAY® Restaurants
The SUBWAY® restaurant chain is the world's largest restaurant franchise, with nearly 37,000 locations in 100 countries. Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut and with regional offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane, Miami and Singapore, the SUBWAY® franchise was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965.  The SUBWAY® brand is committed to providing a wide range of great tasting, healthier food choices while reducing its environmental footprint and creating a positive influence in the communities they serve around the world. Over the past several years, the brand has switched to products and practices that improve the sustainability of their supply chain, as well as improve energy efficiency, water conservation, and food and water quality and reduce their waste stream.  The brand has also made a commitment to fully support principles of responsible farming, fishing and animal husbandry - for the long term sustainability of the earth's natural resources. In 2011, for the third year in a row, the SUBWAY® brand was ranked "number one" by consumers in the "Most Popular," "Top Service" and "Healthy Options" categories in the Zagat® Fast Food Survey for food brands with 5,000 or more locations. Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/subway. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/subway. Visit us at: www.subway.com. SUBWAY^® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.

SOURCE SUBWAY® Restaurants