HY-VEE POURS ON LOW-FAT, PRIVATE-LABEL SOYBEAN OIL

CAROL ANGRISANI

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- What's being called the first low-saturated-fat soybean oil has made its debut at Hy-Vee Food Stores under the retailer's private label.

LoSatSoy, which contains 1 gram of saturated fat per serving, is being tested in seven Hy-Vee Cedar Rapids, Iowa, stores. The oil is expected to be introduced to additional Hy-Vee stores by the end of the year, according to Ruth Mitchell, company spokeswoman. Eventually, it may be provided to hospitals, restaurants and educational institutions.

The technology for producing LoSatSoy was discovered by two Iowa State University professors, and was developed for commercial applications by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a Des Moines-based supplier of agricultural genetics and integrator of agricultural technology. LoSatSoy is being produced in the Midwest by American farmers.

"We see the marketing of LoSatSoy as a win-win situation for everyone -- the state's educational system, the agribusiness and food industries and, of course, the millions of consumers who will have a chance to buy this product," Ronald Pearson, Hy-Vee's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

The oil -- which is being merchandised in the oil section -- retains its flavor and golden color in baking, cooking and frying, according to Mitchell.

A 48-ounce plastic bottle is being tested at several different retails, including $2.19 and $2.29, according to an informal SN survey of test stores.