The American Club Magazine Feb - Mar - Apr | 2020

FEATURE

LOOKING BACK Looking back, in May 2019, there was a survey developed with the purpose of finding out how many Members adhere to a special diet due to lifestyle choices or medical reasons.We received 369 responses to our survey – and of those who responded – 65% of Members thought that offering healthy food was impor tant to them, 40% of Members had medical or religious dietary preferences (of which allergies/ intolerances comprised more than half), around 60% of Members followed preference-based diets (such as keto/low carb, gluten & dairy free, paleo, vegetarian and plant based) and roughly 50-65% of Members wanted more information about the food offered at TAC (through ingredient lists, nutritional information and/or clearly labelled food icons). Additionally, there were over 200 comments that we received from Members on how to improve the food at TAC. The categories ranged from having more menu flexibility & variety, improving taste and quality, increasing the healthy vegetarian and plant-based options, offering healthier snacks, gluten free, keto/low carb, lower or no sugar foods, dairy, soy and/or nut-free items as well as healthier food for kids. With the significant feedback provided, we spent much of the second half of 2019 reviewing, prioritizing and implementing Members' suggestions that TAC could accommodate, par ticularly amid the redevelopment activities, opening of the new outlets and the launch of

central production kitchen.You may have already seen a smattering of our accomplishments brought to life. At Central, we now offer whole fruit for purchase (not wrapped in plastic), single hard boiled eggs, tuna, chicken and egg salad in separate containers, fresh fruit, granola and yogur t cups, non-dairy and non-soy milks, kombucha, coconut yogur t, house-made breakfast options (overnight oats, chia pudding, paleo egg “muffins”), healthier, green and non-dairy smoothies with various add-ons, single sandwich wraps, bulletproof coffee and several other keto-friendly snacks and desser ts. Organic wine is now offered at The 2 nd Floor andThe Gourmet Pantry along with both craft and non-alcoholic beers at all outlets. Gluten-free pasta is now available Club-wide and gluten-free bread sold at The Gourmet Pantry as well. There were also requests for healthier local foods and soups (that are not stir-fried) – which is available at Tradewinds. We determined that oil should be discarded after three days of use and not kept until day 5 (which had been recommended in the sustainability repor t). Takeaway containers and disposable items have all been replaced with sustainable bioproducts not made of plastic. Lastly, we developed a very comprehensive ingredients list of all menu items at every outlet, adding food sourcing information where relevant and standardizing, and displaying food icons to help members make more informed decisions with their food selections. Staff have also been educated and trained on these to help clarify any questions from Members.

26 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE