Case Study: Ina's Chicago, Illinois

In 2001, long-time Chicago entrepreneur and restaurateur, Ina Pinkney, "The Breakfast Queen of Chicago," opened Ina's. From its inception, Ina has accommodated her customers with their favorite comfort foods, while taking specific interest in their health and well-being.

So in the summer of 2006, when Dow AgroSciences called and offered Ina the opportunity to test their Omega-9 Canola Oil, it was no surprise that she and her staff jumped at the chance to serve healthier, better tasting food.

Starting with a bit of ingenuity and a fryer of Omega-9 Canola Oil, each afternoon, Ina and her kitchen staff gathered to skim off a half cup of oil from the fryer and poured it into a canning jar. Over the course of a week, they studied how the oil performed under difficult frying conditions, while also tasting the french fries and fried chicken to ensure their continued quality and uncompromised taste.

Knowing that a healthier change was the right thing to do for their customers, Ina's converted to Omega-9 Canola Oil in their fryers within a week of their initial testing. Wanting to make the healthiest choice possible, it was key that they choose an Omega-9 Oil, which not only has zero trans fat, but also is the lowest in saturated fat, and uniquely high in "heart-healthy" monounsaturated (omega-9) fat.

Because the restaurant is busy each evening making the best fried chicken in town, plus numerous orders of fries and pommes frites during the day, it's important that the staff is able to spend their time serving customers, and not changing oil. In addition to the up front labor time and cost associated with changing the oil, there's less oil waste, and can be less cost in hauling the used oil away.

Case Study: Stampede Park Calgary, Alberta Canada

Best known for hosting the Calgary Stampede - the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth" - attended by more than one million visitors each July, Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta is a 450,000 square foot facility with restaurants, concessions and catering services that play host to more than 1,000 events per year. During their busiest time, the Park serves more than 10,000 people in a single day.

Stampede Park began to reconsider its oil options in 2006, recognizing the growing trend towards zero trans fat oils. The culinary team tested several products, including various canola and sunflower oils, such as Omega-9 Canola Oil, by sampling the oils to determine which one would work best for the facility's unique needs. In addition, they surveyed industry peers to find out which oils they used. Omega-9 Canola Oil was the clear choice for all of the venue's foodservice operations.

Health

To ensure they made the best choice, Stampede Park officials spent a month testing their new oil. Two weeks after transitioning to Omega-9 Canola Oil, the Park had integrated the new oil into its deep frying protocol. While great taste and the longer fry life were two important features, Park officials loved the added health benefits: zero trans fat, the lowest in saturated fat and that this oil is uniquely high in "heart-healthy" (omega-9) monounsaturated fat.

Taste

During its ten day main event in July, the Park's 40 fryers use a total of 150 jibs of oil. Throughout the rest of the year, they use 10-12 fryers for their three to four events per week, using about 50 jibs a month to deliver delicious-tasting fried products to event-goers. Upon conversion to Omega-9 Canola Oil, the team was impressed to find that the oil had a great light taste and that foods fried in it stayed crispier longer.

Performance and Cost-Effectiveness

In looking for new oils, Calgary Stampede Park officials recognized that choosing the least expensive per pound oil was not necessarily the most cost-effective decision in the long run. The longer fry life of Omega-9 Canola Oil, combined with fewer oil changes per week has resulted in an overall cost savings of approximately 25%. As a result of this extended fry life, and much to the approval of their environmental committee, the Park has realized a 50% reduction in oil wastage.