SAN DIEGO The Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes buffet chains are testing reduced-sodium versions of several signature soups, according to parent company Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp.
"We recognize that as baby boomers become increasingly aware of their salt intake, the demand for lower-sodium alternatives is rising as well," said Joan Scharff, Garden Fresh’s executive director of brand a menu strategy.
Among the soups that have been reformulated with less salt are Chicken Dijon, Smoky Brunswick Stew, Buffalo Chick Soup and Bombay Lentil with Basmati Rice.
The reformulation comes as national consumer advocacy groups and officials in New York City are focusing on salt intake as a public health issue. Excessive salt is known to raise blood pressure, which can contribute to heart disease and other ailments.
Officials of the restaurant industry recently met with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and other officials about salt levels in restaurant fare.
Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes are twin brands that differ virtually only in name. Garden Fresh’s restaurants in Southern California operate under the Souplantation name and under the Sweet Tomatoes brand everywhere else. The chains consist of 110 restaurants in total.