FreshDirect At The Office Introduces ‘Smart Eating at the Office’

Launch of Innovative Pilot Program Promotes Better Nutrition in the Workplace; FreshDirect Partners with IAC to Give Employees Healthier Dining Options, Nutritional Tips and Healthy Eating Seminars

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ – FreshDirect At The Office, the corporate arm of the leading online fresh food purveyor and delivery service, today announced its collaboration with IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), a leading internet company with more than 35 consumer brands across 40 countries, to launch “Smart Eating at the Office,“ a new eating program designed to promote better nutrition and introduce healthy eating options to the workplace. This innovative new program, developed under the guidance of FreshDirect’s registered dietitian, was designed to allow employees everywhere – including those at IAC – access to a more positive work environment by helping to improve the health and productivity in the office.

“Eating at the office can be a real challenge for employees who are looking to eat healthy. Limited nutritious options, meetings with unhealthy food, office celebrations, and mindless snacking throughout the day are all common office eating pitfalls,” said FreshDirect’s Corporate Nutritionist, Eileen Vider. “Smart Eating at the Office provides solutions to these pitfalls by giving employees the necessary tools to make healthier food decisions and by making nutritious food readily available.”

FreshDirect at the Office will implement the new healthier eating program at IAC in Manhattan this winter, giving employees an early opportunity to benefit from FreshDirect’s expert resources, delicious chef-prepared meals, and better-for-you snacks and beverages. The new program promotes healthy eating habits by providing comprehensive guidelines for making smarter choices in the workplace. The program includes on-site nutritional seminars, recommended meal and snack lists, intranet postings, and the introduction of an on-site FreshDirect vending machine serving up deliciously well-balanced, fresh meals created by top NYC chefs and restaurants.

“FreshDirect at the Office is excited to partner with IAC in the launch of this ground-breaking program that will help make healthy, fresh food readily available to their employees while helping to create a healthier work environment and stimulate job performance,” said Larry Pearl, FreshDirect At The Office’s Director of Business Development.

“IAC is pleased to be one of the first to partner with FreshDirect At The Office, and we look forward to our employees benefiting from the program,” said Jason Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer at IAC. “IAC is always seeking innovative services for our employees and we’ve emphasized access to healthy food as a core part of our workplace culture. The nutritional guidance provided by Ms. Vider aids in the work/life balance we target. Our teams often spend long hours on projects and will enjoy a quick and easy solution that they can trust is healthy.”

The “Smart Eating at the Office” program will include:

Healthier Meal Options

Instead of always turning to delivery or local takeout options, employees can savor chef-prepared 4-Minute Meals from the FreshVending machine for a simple and nutritious alternative dining solution. FreshVending is the ultimate in convenience, serving employees unlimited on-site access to healthier dining options, any time of day. The FreshVending machine allows employees to choose from a range of perfectly portioned, freshly prepared meals that are conveniently purchased using a credit card. Utilizing innovative packaging, FreshDirect’s 4-Minute Meals steam healthy proteins, fresh vegetables and grains into perfectly-cooked entrees in less than 4 minutes.

FreshVending is stocked with a wide variety of nutritious Smart & Simple meals and EatingWell vegetarian entrees that offer outstanding taste with less than 500 calories. These meals are delicious, better-for-you options, and unlike the local deli, FreshDirect provides complete nutritional information so employees can feel good about what they are eating. In addition to the two lines of health-conscious meals, FreshDirect at the Office also serves up restaurant quality dishes created by some of Manhattan’s most renowned chefs such as Tabla’s Floyd Cardoz and Terrance Brennan of Artisanal and Picholine. The service also makes managing expense reports a cinch with pay-by-card features and an E-Receipt program launching soon.

Nutrition Education

From corporate meetings brimming with snacks and pastries, to candy dishes on co-workers desks, the office can be a challenging place to maintain healthy eating habits. FreshDirect’s Corporate Nutritionist, Eileen Vider, will share her tricks of the trade for making nutritionally sound food choices for meals and snacks that optimize energy levels to keep employees fueled throughout the day. Vider will provide content for the company’s intranet as well as lists of recommended meal and snack choices that can be found on the FreshDirect website for those short on time and on-the-go.

FreshDirect “Smart Eating at the Office” Seminars

For those in need of some hands-on guidance, encouragement or innovative ideas for updating and revitalizing their daily diet, Vider will host a series of on-site nutritional seminars. Whether it’s strategically planning a well-balanced menu for the workweek or selecting pre-portioned, wholesome snacks, Vider will demonstrate the necessary tools for making healthy eating at the workplace hassle-free.

For more information regarding FreshDirect at the Office, simply go to www.freshdirect.com/office.

About FreshDirect At The Office

FreshDirect at the Office is the premiere online manufacturing and delivery service of meals and fresh food for businesses in Manhattan. The B2B division of FreshDirect is setting a new standard for companies ordering food for the office in New York City. FreshDirect at the Office is expanding rapidly and currently serves most of Manhattan and locations in Jersey City. The company’s vision is to change how Manhattan businesses keep their pantries stocked and shop for fresh food and healthy meal solutions. FreshDirect at the Office promises to make providing food for the office the easiest part of an office manager’s day. The company currently has over 10,000 customers and has fulfilled over 130,000 orders for the office since opening for business in September 2005. Additional information can be found at www.freshdirect.com/office.

SOURCE FreshDirect