News

Subway teams up with Michelle Obama to push healthier kids' meals

January 24, 2014

First Lady Michelle Obama announced Thursday that Subway restaurants have joined the Partnership for a Healthier America in a three-year commitment to promote healthier choices to kids.

According to a news release, the campaign will be Subway's largest kid-targeted marketing effort to date.

As part of its commitment, Subway will launch a series of new campaigns aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption by children; set and implement new marketing standards for materials directed at kids; and strengthen its nutritious children's menu offerings.

"I'm excited about these initiatives not just as a First Lady, but also as a mom," Mrs. Obama said in the release. "Subway's kids' menu makes life easier for parents, because they know that no matter what their kids order, it's going to be a healthy choice."

The Subway restaurant chain is the first and only quick-service chain to join PHA, which works with the private sector and Mrs. Obama — PHA's honorary chair — to "broker meaningful commitments to help end the childhood obesity epidemic."

Also as part of this commitment, Subway will:

• Only offer items on its kids menu that meet nutritional guidelines informed by federal standards for the national school lunch program, including offering apples as a side and low- or non-fat milk or water as a default beverage.
• Deliver $41 million in media value in the next three years to market healthier options to children and families, with a specific focus on increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Launch its largest kid-focused marketing campaign to date through general marketing, in-store merchandising, TV, social and digital media and public relations.
• Train employees, known as Sandwich Artists, to encourage kids to choose apples.

"Ending childhood obesity is a cause that has been near and dear to Subway since we introduced the Fresh Fit for Kids Meals in 2007," said Suzanne Greco, vice president of R&D and Operations for Subway. "With this partnership with PHA, we will now reach millions of kids as part of a healthier eating education campaign, making it our largest outreach campaign to date. From a sign on each restaurant's door that says 'Playtime Powered by Veggies' to a video collaboration with Disney's The Muppets, we will build upon our ongoing efforts to create even better choices for families."

Read more about health and nutrition initiatives.