Jesters Pies Responds to Green Party

Jesters Pies Responds to Results of Annual Tuck Shop Survey

Recent media coverage of an annual survey by the Green Party on school tuckshops has stated that "schools are still offering more sugary and fatty foods than healthy items."

In response, New Zealand gourmet pie company Jesters NZ Ltd has stated that some schools have been taking advantage of the Jesters Healthier Schools Programme, which aims to encourage healthy eating in schools, for the past two years.

Jesters pies, which are currently being supplied to 24 schools throughout New Zealand, are lower in fat that standard pies with nine varieties carrying the Heart Foundation Tick.

Jesters Director of Sales and Marketing, Mark Gumbrell says it important to acknowledge the schools that have taken the initiative to provide students with healthier options.

"We launched the Jesters Healthier Schools Programme in September 2005 to encourage healthy eating in schools by providing a healthier option to the standard pie," said Gumbrell. "Our pies are not oven baked like the traditional pie but cooked in our unique pie makers using ultra-thin light puff pastry and the finest quality natural ingredients. Fresh vegetables, lean meats and the home-made recipes are used, and as a new pie is developed it is tested for nutritional, salt and fat contents."

"As a food manufacturer, we acknowledge our responsibility to play our part in the obesity epidemic that is becoming a growing concern. Nine of the pies in our range meet the National Heart Foundation's strict criteria for saturated fat, trans fat and sodium. Of the seven standard Jesters pies which have the 'Heart Tick' [two additional heart-tick selections are seasonal] the average fat content is 8g per 100g."

"We will continue to take a leadership position in the fight to reduce obesity levels by producing low fat, nutritious pie offerings," said Gumbrell.

At the invitation of the Ministry of Health, Jesters has recently participated in a meeting to discuss the MOH's Healthy Action Programme, where they are collaborating with other major food manufacturers to further improve food offerings in schools.

ENDS

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