Slim Fast

From ArticleWorld

Unilever owns this brand, which is known for its variety of weight-loss food products. It is also known for its promotion of diet and weight loss plans focused on its shakes, snacks, packaged meals and other foods.

Slim Fast: the early years

Slim Fast originally developed its Ready-to-Drink meal-replacement shakes in a variety of flavors. They were marketed as containing 24 vitamins and minerals and 220 calories. The initial product offering also included meal replacement and snack bars as well as a powdered variety of the shakes.

Slim Fast: today

The original products are currently being phased out as Unilever transitions to a “Slim Fast Optima” line, and to a series of low-carb diet and meal-replacement. The low-carb line was developed to compete with the highly popular Atkins Diet.

Although these newer, low-carb diet shakes remain similar to the original Slim Fast formula, the protein content has doubled to 20 grams, the calories have reduced to 190 and the carbohydrates have been reduced. However, the fat content has tripled and is now 9 grams.

Likewise, the Optima shakes also resemble the original formula, but they have half the sugar (accomplished with Splenda as a substitute). These shakes have 180 calories and 5 grams of fat.

Both of the two new versions have the same vitamin content.

Promotions

Slim Fast’s marketing and advertising campaign centered on the slogan, “a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch and a sensible dinner.” It has traditionally had a variety of well-known celebrities, like Whoopi Goldberg and Tommy Lasorda, endorse its products.