The Letter

The Letter:

This is my first and only letter, but yet it's a small start. I will be sending it out today (11/20/2013) and wait for a reply. I know I may not get anything back, and if you choose to right a letter you may not either, but don't give up, keep trying! It took me a good bit of effort to find this address seeing as they don't hand it out unless you want to give money to them. I found the corporate office name and then learned that the president of the Cheesecake Factory worked there. Feel free to tell me how I can improve for future letters!

November 19, 2013

Michael E. Jannini

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
26901 Malibu Hills Rd.
Calabasas Hills, CA 91301

Dear Mr. Jannini,

The cheesecake factory is one of my favorite places to eat. The food is always great, the service is consistent and the cheesecake fantastic. It is safe to say that then name of your company is an important and respected one. I have noticed that a number of your cheesecakes have high fructose corn syrup in them. I understand, this a is a commonly used product for being a cheaper sweetener but can cause some serious issues in those who cannot eat high fructose corn syrup due to allergy like reactions. This sweetener shows up in most foods in America and there is little to no way around it. I feel, along with others who have this issue, that a pure sugar cheesecake line of three to four cheesecakes could be implemented.

You may think that cheesecake isn’t the healthiest thing to send in a letter about having to do with high fructose corn syrup and in all you would be right. The point is more to add to the movement that is blossoming at this time, to try and give the world a choice instead of having to eat most of our food with high fructose corn syrup in it. If a company with a big name and popular food shows they are an advocate of trying to push this out there the movement itself may grow in size. This is why I feel a line of real sugar cheesecakes should be pushed, both in the restaurant and available in stores like your other ones. Company’s like Pepsi created a Throwback version of their soda that uses real sugar, is doing well and give those who can’t eat high fructose corn syrup the ability to enjoy a treat. You could branch out to a whole new demographic giving costumer growth and adding to sales by creating a cheesecake that uses sugar, but maybe not as much making it somewhat healthier. Yes, sugar is a cost increase and that is why many use high fructose corn syrup but by not using as much or embracing the natural sweetener in other ingredients, it may not cost as much in the long run. This also lets your company price the cheesecake accordingly as people pay more for better quality.   

            All together I feel this should be something worth looking into. This start could let you test the water of the idea, and if it works you could branch out. This could start a whole movement and create a new side to choosing food. High fructose corn syrup is not as “natural” as some say despite is beginnings, is has a negative effect on us even if we don’t have an allergy to it. Our bodies can feel a complete difference in the long run thus causing obesity faster and this was proved in a court case of Western Sugar Cooperative v Archer-Daniels-Midland when the two tried to be compared as the same thing. This is why it would be great if this idea was pushed into a well-known and praised company like your own, Cheesecake factory.

Sincerely,

Lauren Samuelson