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NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HealthyG U I D A N C E
Penny's Low Fat Desserts take the mystery out of making better-for-you choices.

hen counting calories, transparency and accuracy can make the difference between gaining
a loyal consumer or permanently losing one.
Nobody wants to find out their favorite product contains more calories than expected. On the other
hand, if it doesn't taste great, no one will repeat the initial purchase. With this in mind, health-conscious Penny
Pearl set out to create flavor-worthy treats that didn't
disappoint in terms of texture or nutritionals. The result
was Penny's Low Fat Desserts, Inc., Grass Valley, CA.
Armed with a degree in nutrition and experience as a
lifetime member and educational leader of a major weight
loss program, Ms. Pearl understood the importance of
accurate and easy-to-understand nutritional information.
"In light of current obesity problems, I think the
majority of people look for ways to lose weight, but there
is also a subset who seeks health foods that benefit weight
loss as well," said Ms. Pearl, founder.
As part of her dedication to accuracy, Ms. Pearl
developed the recipes with a food scientist. Following
formulation, product nutritionals were validated by an
independent lab. Products are also
tested periodically to ensure accuracy
of the nutritional facts.
"With a new healthy lifestyle,
you need to look at the big picture
of something more than losing
weight such as reading nutrition and
ingredient labels to make sure you
know that the food you're eating is
good for you," Ms. Pearl said.
In a world of mini-size indulgent
replacements, Penny's Low Fat Desserts prides itself on providing a
generous product size while keeping calories and fat low. The highfiber, low-fat cookies are available
in Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip
and Oatmeal Raisin varieties. Each
cookie contains 1 to 3 g of fat, 140 to

BAKING & SNACK / March 2009

150 Cal and 6 to 7 g of fiber, about 25% of the recommended daily fiber intake. The all-natural cookies are also
high in whole grains (oats and wheat) and free of preservatives, cholesterol, trans fats and eggs. Some varieties are
also dairy-free. Each cookie is individually wrapped for
portion control. A box of 24 cookies retails for $36.99.
The products are baked fresh and immediately shipped
for ultimate freshness.
The cookie varieties were rolled out during 2008, with
Chocolate Chip in March followed by Oatmeal Raisin
in May and Peanut Butter in August. The test market
included established and new Internet customers, as well
as in-person testing for immediate reaction.
The primarily Internet-based company (www.pennyslowfatdesserts.com) is known for its prompt communication. Twice a month, an e-newsletter is sent to
subscribers. Ms. Pearl attributed a number of new customers and word-of-mouth referrals to its publication.
The newsletter contains specials, testimonials, new
product introductions and weight-management tips.
- Jennifer Barnett Fox

http://www.pen http://www.nyslowfatdesserts.com

Baking & Snack - March 2009

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