Kraft Heinz stops making lunches available through the National School Lunch Program
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Kraft Heinz has stopped making its meals available through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Lack of sufficient demand for two Lunchables products that Kraft Heinz made during last year’s NSLP prompted the company to withdraw them, Kraft Heinz told FOX Business on Wednesday.
“Last year, we brought two NSLP-compliant Lunchables to schools that increased protein,” Kraft Heinz said. “While many school administrators were happy to have these options, demand has not met our goals. This happens from time to time across our product portfolio, especially as we explore new sales channels. Food products are not available in schools this year and we hope to revisit at a future date.”
The company also noted that “Lunchable’s NSLP-compliant sales last school year were significantly less than 1% of Lunchable’s sales, so the business impact is negligible.”
“We are pleased that Kraft Heinz has removed Lunchables from the lunch program after lower-than-expected demand in school districts across the country,” said Consumer Reports Director of Food Policy Brian Ronholm in a press release. “The USDA must maintain strict eligibility standards for school lunch programs so that the millions of children who rely on them have access to the healthy options they deserve.”
The lunches, specifically two high-protein items that Kraft Heinz developed for NSLP, received attention in the spring following a report from Consumer Reports that argued they should not be served on NSLP. The product was introduced almost forty years ago.
CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS USDA NATIONAL SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM SHOULD REDUCE DEALS
Consumer Reports reported in April that Lunchables and other prepackaged lunch items “contain levels of sodium and harmful chemicals that can lead to serious health problems over time,” such as lead or cadmium. For Lunchables, a comparison of store-bought and school-bought Lunchables suggested that the latter had higher sodium, according to Consumer Reports.
In response to the report, Kraft Heinz previously said “it is on hold[s] about the quality and integrity that goes into making” Meals and that all of its products “meet strict safety standards set by federal agencies.” It called the Consumer Reports report “misleading.”
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The company told FOX Business on Wednesday that interest groups had no influence on the company’s decision not to do its Lunchables with NSLP this year, and reiterated that it was based on principle.
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