MCDONALD'S WRAP SANDWICH GETTING TASTE TEST IN DETROIT

ROSEANNE HARPER

DETROIT -- McDonald's Corp. is reporting healthy rings with a wrap sandwich it's testing here.

The company's Michigan region put "McDeli Wrap Sandwiches" in three varieties into four of its freestanding restaurants this summer, and now the wraps have joined the ranks of McDonald's popular "Extra Value Meals" at one of the stores. They're offered with a medium drink at a discounted price.

"I'm happy with the wrap sales. They're not a home run out of the park, but they're doing what we expected at this point. And now, the value meal is giving them an extra spark," said Charlie Strong, vice president, Michigan region of McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook, Ill. The wraps are offered in three varieties -- chicken Caesar, turkey club and turkey-Swiss. The retails range from $2.99 to $3.39. Strong said he hadn't decided how long to continue the test before taking the next step: a rollout to about 20 stores.

"Typically, when we put a new product into a McDonald's, it sells great in the beginning just because people want to try it," he said, but added that it takes a "fairly long time" to determine if a new product is building incremental sales.

"Since it's advertised only in-store, it initially cannibalizes other sales. It takes a while for word to get around," Strong said.

Made with ConAgra's Healthy Choice brand meats, the McDeli wraps are touted on in-store backlit signs that also inform customers that Healthy Choice products are used.

"They're low-fat, and they're also delicious. The test is really whether they fit with our customer profile," Strong said.