After hinting earlier this year that more updates to its menu were on the way, Noodles & Company Tuesday announced that it has removed artificial ingredients from its core menu.
Noodles & Company had done away with artificial ingredients in its soups, sauces and dressings by the end of Q2, but key items like noodles and bread remained unchanged at that time. The chain said its core menu contains more than 200 ingredients.
Although this change does not currently extend to beverages or dessert offerings, the chain said it’s exploring ways to provide these items without artificial components.
“We still have work left to do and are addressing that now, but want to celebrate this accomplishment and tremendous milestone for Noodles & Company,” CEO Kevin Reddy said in a statement.
In conjunction with its “clean” core menu, Noodles & Company is launching a marketing initiative that Reddy said is centered on the chain’s “commitment to food quality and transparency.
The ‘Made. Different. — REAL Food. REAL Cooking. REAL Flavors.’ positioning is in part a bid for maturing millennial customers, who notoriously seek out dining experiences that resonate with their values.
“Food knowledge and transparency are top of mind for our millennial guests,” said CMO Mark Mears. “More than ever, they want and expect real food that they can feel great about eating and serving to their families.”
The ‘Made. Different.’ campaign will be communicated across a variety media channels, a key factor for Noodles & Company, which struggled with low brand awareness earlier this year, particularly in the Colorado, Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas, markets.
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