VALUE-ADDED EGGS 

Since the dawn of time, eggs have been eggs. Chickens laid them and were born from them. Unlike the endless debate as to which came first - the chicken or the egg - nutrition experts widely agree that eggs are considered the "nearly perfect" food. Nothing else, short of mother's milk, contains protein of a higher nutritional value. A single large egg (75 calories) provides a person with a broad range of vitamins and minerals and all essential amino acids, in almost perfect proportions needed by the human body.

But the hype about cholesterol in recent years has made people think twice about having eggs for breakfast every morning. Robert J. Fuhrman, president of C.R. Eggs, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, says "Although eggs are highly nutritious and most people love the taste, 69 percent of U.S. adults are now eating fewer eggs than they once did, and this is due to concerns over cholesterol."

To combat the downturn, this American company claims it has come up with the answer to cracking consumers' uneasiness about eggs with an innovative new product called Heartland's Best, the world's first value-added egg. Corporate advertising states this is "a real egg that can be eaten regularly without increasing serum cholesterol."

The secret of the value-added egg is in the hen's diet. Hen's selected to produce these eggs are fed a carefully controlled, low saturated fat diet, enriched with an all-natural supplement of sea kelp, rice bran, alfalfa meal and Vitamin E. The supplement, known as Biotene, is blended exclusively for Heartland's Best by Purina Mills of St. Louis. Low saturated canola oil (94 per cent saturated fat-free) is the only source of fat added to the hen's diet.

Heartland's Best is an American version of the Hikari egg, marketed in Japan since 1977 by a subsidiary of Mitsubishi. One billion of these eggs have been sold in the past decade at a price of just under US$5 a dozen -- almost three times the price of ordinary Japanese eggs.

C.R. Eggs obtained the North American rights to the Hikari egg, including one Canadian and five U.S. patents. Mitsubishi keeps its hand in the nest by holding 10 per cent of C.R. Eggs.

These eggs have been the subject of research and clinical studies at several U.S. universities and medical colleges. Tests show that eating one dozen Heartland/Hikari eggs in a week produces the same result in serum cholesterol levels as eating no eggs at all.

Although egg marketing boards have egg on their face for not encouraging such developments in the egg business, it's speculated that value-added eggs will force these organizations to change, or face extinction when customers pass over conventional egg cartons in favor of brands like Heartland's Best.

C.R. Eggs plans to select licensed producers with stringent quality control standards to supply these top-quality eggs fast and fresh to food stores and restaurants throughout Canada and the U.S. Aiming to rule the roost from sea to sea, Heartland's Best will be the first nationally advertised brand of eggs. To create product awareness, a red heart logo will be imprinted on each shell of a Heartland's Best egg, differentiating it from all others on the market.

To back up its advertising C.R. Eggs expects to devote more than $3 million a year to programs encouraging North Americans to eat better, exercise regularly and live healthier lives. Educational materials will be distributed directly to consumers, and through doctors and other health care professionals.

For more information: Daniel J. Edelman, C.R. Eggs, Inc., 1500 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. Phone: 212/768-0550.

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