French fries that aren't fried? Crav On! "never fried" fries are coming to supermarkets in the United States from J.R. Simplot, Boise, Idaho, the very company that launched the frozen fry market more than 50 years ago. And they're coming with health pitch.
"Simplot developed a revolutionary process that eliminates the industry standard of flash-frying prior to freezing and packaging," explains a press release. "The fries are partially-cooked in a blanching process, and then tossed with olive oil and sea salt before being frozen. The result is a better-for-you french fry made with five natural ingredients, 50% less fat than regular fries, and a delicious, crispy texture that preserves the real potato taste consumers crave."
Note the bit about 50% less fat. The average American eats roughly 29 pounds of french fries per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Their fat content has given them a bad press lately, what with all the concern about obesity. But Gary Laney, director of sales and marketing for the new brand, makes
the case that there's nothing wrong about potatoes as such: "Potatoes are nutritionally beneficial, especially in their natural state and CravOn further enhances that goodness with the same great taste and half the fat of regular fries available in supermarkets today."
CravOn Ripple Cut Fries and Steak Cut Fries, and two unique varieties -- Diamond Cut and Anytime Diced Fries -- will initially be available in more than 500 retail stores throughout greater Los Angeles, with a suggested retail price of $4.59 a two-pound bag. To make the case that "tasting is believing" when it comes to new food products, CravOn will host more than 300 tasting events in greater Los Angeles this spring and summer in partnership with Daniel Shemtob's The Lime Truck, season two winner of the Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race. The events will help educate local french fry lovers about a brand new offering in the frozen foods aisle.
