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127-400: The BK Whopper Bar is a limited service concept created by fast-food restaurant Burger King in 2009. The Whopper Bar is a high end concept designed to compete with fast casual and casual dining restaurants. The locations feature an open kitchen with a semi-circular metal counter top. The exposed kitchen allows customers to view the preparation of their foods. Decoration of the new locations

254-426: A 2021 review indicates that trans fat from hydrogenated fats is no longer a problem in modern countries. When heated (cooked), some unsaturated fats change from their normal geometry to trans. The rate of isomerization is accelerated by free radicals. The German chemist Wilhelm Normann showed that liquid oils could be hydrogenated. He patented the process in 1902. During the years 1905–1910, Normann built

381-424: A by-product that could be turned into a solid fat, thereby addressing a shortage of butterfat. Furthermore, with the advent of refrigeration, margarines based on hydrogenated fats presented the advantage that, unlike butter, they could be taken out of a refrigerator and immediately spread on bread. Some minor changes to the chemical composition of hydrogenated fats yielded superior baking properties compared to lard. As

508-533: A cause of a large increase in coronary artery disease . Studies in the early 1990s brought renewed scrutiny and confirmation of the negative health impact of trans fats. In 1994, it was estimated that trans fats caused at least 20,000 deaths annually in the U.S. from heart disease. In the 1990s, activists such as CSPI that had promoted trans fat safety began arguing that trans fats should be disclosed on product labels and menus. Several lawsuits were launched against high-visibility restaurants and food manufacturers with

635-626: A corporate restructuring of the chain, first renaming the company Burger King. They ran the company as an independent entity for eight years (eventually expanding to over 250 locations in the United States), before selling it to the Pillsbury Company in 1967. Pillsbury's management tried several times to restructure Burger King during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The most prominent change came in 1978 when Burger King hired McDonald's executive Donald N. Smith to help revamp

762-696: A damaging fiscal slump for Burger King and Pillsbury. Poor operation and ineffectual leadership continued to bog down the company for many years. Pillsbury was eventually acquired by the British entertainment conglomerate Grand Metropolitan in 1989. Initially, Grand Met attempted to bring the chain to profitability under newly minted CEO Barry Gibbons; the changes he initiated during his two-year tenure had mixed results, as successful new product introductions and tie-ins with The Walt Disney Company were offset by continuing image problems and ineffectual advertising programs. Additionally, Gibbons sold off several of

889-583: A decrease in mortality. There are two accepted tests that measure an individual's risk for coronary artery disease, both blood tests . The first considers ratios of two types of cholesterol , the other the amount of a cell-signalling cytokine called C-reactive protein . The ratio test is more accepted, while the cytokine test may be more powerful but is still being studied. The effect of trans fat consumption has been documented on each as follows: Scientific studies have examined other negative effects of industrial trans fat beyond cardiovascular disease, with

1016-491: A diet consisting of fewer partially-hydrogenated fats, or who often consume fast food. A diet high in trans fats can contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, and higher risk for heart disease. Trans fat is also implicated in Type 2 diabetes. The most important health risk identified for trans fat consumption is an elevated risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). A 1994 study estimated that over 30,000 cardiac deaths per year in

1143-610: A fat-hardening facility in the Herford company. At the same time, the invention was extended to a large-scale plant in Warrington , England, at Joseph Crosfield & Sons, Limited . It took only two years until the hardened fat could be successfully produced in the plant in Warrington, commencing production in the autumn of 1909. The initial year's production totalled nearly 3,000 tonnes. In 1909, Procter & Gamble acquired

1270-756: A federal lawsuit. As a result, the larger Burger King chain was ordered not to build any franchises within a 20-mile radius of the Mattoon Burger King. An existing trademark held by a shop of the same name in South Australia forced the company to change its name in Australia to "Hungry Jack's", while another state trademark in Texas forced the company to abandon its signature product, the Whopper, in several counties around San Antonio. The company

1397-706: A few specific isomers. As industrial sources of trans fats are eliminated, increased attention focuses on ruminant derived trans fats. The trans fatty acid vaccenic acid has health benefits. Small amounts occur in meat and milk fat . Trans fat can be an unintentional byproduct of the industrial processing of oils. Unlike naturally derived trans fats, the trans fats that result from hydrogenation consist of many isomers. In food production, liquid cis-unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils are hydrogenated to produce more saturated fats, which have desirable properties: However, an isomerization side reaction during fat hydrogenation can convert remaining unsaturated fats to

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1524-603: A franchisee which is given the designation of master franchise for the territory. The master franchise will then be expected to sub-license new stores, provide training support, and ensure operational standards are maintained. In exchange for the oversight responsibilities, the master franchise will receive administrative and advertising support from Burger King Corporation to ensure a common marketing scheme. The 3G Capital ownership group announced in April 2011 that it would begin divesting itself of many corporate owned locations with

1651-453: A geopolitical dispute involving Muslim and Jewish groups on multiple continents over the application of, and adherence to, international law . The case eventually elicited reactions from the members of the 22-nation Arab League . The Islamic countries within the League made a joint threat to the company of legal sanctions including the revocation of Burger King's business licenses within

1778-556: A local master franchisee. However, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism revealed that Burger King retained its stake in the Russian franchises through an offshore joint venture with the Russian state-owned VTB Bank and a Ukrainian investment firm linked to corrupt deals with Ukraine's former pro-Russian leader. In October 2023, Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, announced

1905-431: A new 150,000 square feet (14,000 m ) five-story headquarters building to be built at 5707 Blue Lagoon Drive, just down the street from its existing nine-story headquarters at 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive. This was slightly smaller than the 200,000 square feet (19,000 m ) it was leasing in its current headquarters building at the time. In 2018, Burger King moved into its new headquarters at 5707 Blue Lagoon Drive after it

2032-547: A new store design at its annual franchisee convention in Canada, branded "The Sizzle". The company planned to remodel existing Burger King locations with a new look inside and outside, to tackle slowing business after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic . The overhaul plan included more kiosks, dedicated pickup areas for mobile app orders, food-ordering platforms like Doordash , Uber Eats , and Grubhub , and an improved drive-thru service. In 2023, Burger King remodeled several locations in

2159-443: A nurse's CAD risk roughly doubled ( relative risk of 1.93, CI : 1.43 to 2.61) for each 2% increase in trans fat calories consumed (instead of carbohydrate calories). By contrast, for each 5% increase in saturated fat calories (instead of carbohydrate calories) there was a 17% increase in risk ( relative risk of 1.17, CI : 0.97 to 1.41). "The replacement of saturated fat or trans unsaturated fat by cis (unhydrogenated) unsaturated fats

2286-430: A practical level of trans fat consumption, recommending in 2003 that trans fats be limited to less than 1% of overall energy intake. The US National Dairy Council has asserted that the trans fats present in foods of animal origin are of a different type than those in partially hydrogenated oils, and do not appear to exhibit the same negative effects. A scientific review agrees with the conclusion (stating that "the sum of

2413-494: A practice kept secret to avoid consumer distaste. Before 1910, dietary fats in industrialized nations consisted mostly of butterfat , beef tallow , and lard . During Napoleon's reign in France in the early 19th century, a type of margarine was invented to feed troops using tallow and buttermilk. Soybeans began to be imported into the U.S. as a source of protein in the early 20th century, resulting in an abundance of soybean oil as

2540-617: A restaurant in Madrid . Beginning in 1982, BK and its franchisees began operating stores in several East Asian countries, including Japan, Taiwan , Singapore and South Korea . Due to high competition, all of the Japanese locations were closed in 2001; however, BK reentered the Japanese market in June 2007. BK's Central and South American operations began in Mexico in the late 1970s and by

2667-570: A restructuring of the company to reverse its fortunes. 3G, along with its partner Berkshire Hathaway , eventually merged the company with the Canadian-based doughnut chain Tim Hortons under the auspices of a new Canadian-based parent company named Restaurant Brands International . Burger King's menu has expanded from a basic offering of burgers, french fries, sodas, and milkshakes to a larger and more diverse set of products. In 1957,

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2794-455: A result of these factors, margarine made from partially hydrogenated soybean oil began to replace butterfat. Partially hydrogenated fat such as Crisco and Spry , sold in England, began to replace butter and lard in baking bread, pies, cookies, and cakes in 1920. Production of partially hydrogenated fats increased steadily in the 20th century as processed vegetable fats replaced animal fats in

2921-693: A revamped menu strategy, a series of programs designed to revamp individual stores, a new restaurant concept called the BK Whopper Bar , and a new design format called 20/20 . These changes successfully re-energized the company, leading to a score of profitable quarters. Yet, despite the successes of the new owners, the effects of the Great Recession weakened the company's financial outlooks while those of its immediate competitor, McDonald's, grew. The falling value of Burger King eventually led to TPG and its partners divesting their interest in

3048-507: A substantial portion of its revenue was dependent on franchise fees. During the transitional period after 3G Capital acquired the company, Burger King's board of directors was co-chaired by John W. Chidsey, formerly CEO and chairman of the company, and Alex Behring , managing partner of 3G Capital. By April 2011, the new ownership had completed the restructuring of Burger King's corporate management and Chidsey tendered his resignation, leaving Behring as CEO and chair. Burger King Corporation

3175-485: A substantially increased risk at low levels of consumption (1 to 3% of total energy intake)". The major evidence for the effect of trans fat on CAD comes from the Nurses' Health Study – a cohort study that has been following 120,000 female nurses since its inception in 1976. In this study, Hu and colleagues analyzed data from 900 coronary events from the study's population during 14 years of followup. He determined that

3302-469: A support organization for the families and friends of cancer patients. When the predecessor of Burger King first opened in Jacksonville in 1953, its menu consisted predominantly of basic hamburgers, French fries, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts. After being acquired by its Miami, Florida, franchisees and renamed to its current moniker in 1954, BK began expanding the breadth of its menu by adding

3429-548: A takeaway food shop in Adelaide . As a result, Burger King provided the Australian franchisee, Jack Cowin , with a list of possible alternative names derived from pre-existing trademarks already registered by Burger King and its then corporate parent Pillsbury, that could be used to name the Australian restaurants. Cowin selected the "Hungry Jack" brand name, one of Pillsbury's US pancake mixture products, and slightly changed

3556-878: A winning prize that is usually a food or beverage product, but includes (rarer) items such as shopping sprees or trips. In the Northeast , BK has affiliated itself with the Major League Baseball team the Boston Red Sox and its charitable foundation, the Jimmy Fund . The group runs the contest in Boston. In the New York City area, it operates the contest in association with the Burger King Children's Charities of Metro New York and

3683-462: Is classified as "polyunsaturated") by increasing the amount of hydrogen (and, thus, single bonds) in the fatty acid. This subsequent lesser degree of unsaturation (and, simultaneously, greater degree of saturation) thereby changes the consistency of the fatty acid by way of allowing its molecules to more greatly compress and congeal and in turn thereby makes it less prone to rancidity (in which free radicals attack double bonds). In this second sense of

3810-665: Is currently an independently operated subsidiary of RBI . RBI's present organizational structure includes five primary segments: Tim Hortons , Burger King, Firehouse Subs , Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and International. International encompasses the aggregated outcomes from the operations of each brand outside the United States and Canada. Josh Kobza, the CEO of RBI, was appointed in 2023. Before taking over as CEO in February 2023, Kobza served as CFO, CTO, and COO of RBI. Tom Curtis,

3937-477: Is known for its anticancer properties, researchers have also found that the cis-9, trans-11 form of CLA can reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and help fight inflammation. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils were an increasingly significant part of the human diet for about 100 years, especially after 1950 as processed food rose in popularity. The deleterious effects of trans fat consumption are scientifically accepted. Intake of dietary trans fat disrupts

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4064-488: Is less than one gram per tablespoon, or up to 7% by weight; or less than 0.5 grams per serving size) by boosting the saturation and then diluting the resulting solid fat with unsaturated vegetable oils. Noting that elimination of industrially produced trans fat is feasible and achievable, the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal to make the world free from industrially produced trans fat by

4191-571: Is limited to plasma televisions playing looped videos of open flames. The concept is similar to the McCafé concept from rival McDonald's , and like the McCafé locations they are designed for malls, airports, casinos and other areas with limited space. Whopper Bars are kiosk -type stores with a menu limited to the company's Whopper , TenderCrisp and Angus sandwiches; drinks; and desserts. The menu features higher-end ingredients and variants not sold in

4318-499: Is naturally present in many animal foods in trace quantities, and thus its removal from ordinary diets might introduce undesirable side effects and nutritional imbalances if proper nutritional planning is not undertaken. The NAS has, thus, "recommended that trans fatty acid consumption be as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet". Like the NAS, the World Health Organization has tried to balance public health goals with

4445-407: Is partial to obtain a malleable mixture of fats that is solid at room temperature , but melts during baking, or consumption. The same molecule, containing the same number of atoms, with a double bond in the same location, can be either a trans or a cis fatty acid depending on the configuration of the double bond. For example, oleic acid and elaidic acid are both unsaturated fatty acids with

4572-593: Is required starting in August 2006. Since 2010, vegetable oils and fats sold to consumers directly must contain only 2% of trans fat over total fat, and other food must contain less than 5% of their total fat. Starting on 10 December 2014, Argentina has on effect a total ban on food with trans fat, a regulation the government estimated could save them more than US$ 100 million a year on healthcare. The former federal assistant health minister, Christopher Pyne , asked fast food outlets to reduce their trans fat use. A draft plan

4699-518: Is the master franchise and thus is now responsible for oversight of the operations that country with Burger King only providing administrative and advertising support to ensure a common marketing scheme for the company and its products. Over a 10-year period starting in 2008, Burger King predicted 80 percent of its market share would be driven by foreign expansion, particularly in the Asia-Pacific and Indian subcontinent regional markets. While

4826-587: Is the McLamore Foundation, also a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that provides scholarships to students in the U.S. and its territories. In various regions across the United States, Burger King and its franchises have aligned themselves with several charitable organizations that support research and treatment of juvenile cancer. Each year, these coalitions hold a fund raising drive called "A Chance for Kids", in which Burger King restaurants sell lottery -style scratch cards for $ 1. Each card produces

4953-672: Is the only franchise to operate under a different name due to a trademark dispute with a similarly named restaurant in Adelaide , South Australia , and a series of legal cases between the two. The predecessor to Burger King was founded in 1953 in Jacksonville, Florida , as Insta-Burger King. After visiting the McDonald brothers' original store location in San Bernardino, California , the founders and owners (Keith G. Cramer and his wife's uncle Matthew Burns), who had purchased

5080-491: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , many companies, including Burger King, faced growing pressure to halt operations in Russia. In March 2022, Burger King claimed to have suspended all its corporate support, including operations, marketing, supply chain, investments and expansion in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, including support to the more than 800 fully franchised restaurant chains in Russia managed by

5207-556: The BSE and NSE in India. The IPO was subscribed over 150 times. The stock opened at ₹112.5 per share on December 14, nearly double the IPO price of ₹60 , and closed at ₹135 . Burger King has been involved in several legal disputes and cases, as both plaintiff and defendant, in the years since its founding in 1954. Depending on the ownership and executive staff at the time of these incidents,

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5334-532: The Cutler census-designated place . In August 2014, the future of the company's Miami headquarters was again in doubt as reports surfaced that Burger King was in talks about buying the Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons . The merger between Burger King and Tim Hortons created the fast food company now known as Restaurant Brands International Inc. In 2016, Burger King signed a build-to-suit lease agreement on

5461-938: The New York Yankees . Funds raised in these areas go to support the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute , located in Boston. In Nebraska, the company is affiliated with the Liz's Legacy Cancer Fund "BK Beat Cancer for Kids" program at the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha . In the Pittsburgh region, it funded the establishment of the Burger King Cancer Caring Center,

5588-552: The chemical formula C 9 H 17 C 9 H 17 O 2 . They both have a double bond located midway along the carbon chain. It is the configuration of this bond that sets them apart. The configuration has implications for the physical-chemical properties of the molecule. The trans configuration is straighter, while the cis configuration is noticeably kinked as can be seen from the three-dimensional representation shown above. Cis- and trans fatty acids (and their derivatives) have distinct chemical (and metabolic) properties, For example,

5715-600: The continental United States in 1963 with a store in San Juan, Puerto Rico , it did not have an international presence until several years later. Shortly after the acquisition of the chain by Pillsbury, it opened its first Canadian restaurant in Windsor, Ontario in 1969. Other international locations followed soon after, including Australia in 1971, with a restaurant in the Perth suburb of Innaloo , and Europe in 1975, with

5842-417: The " Whopper " became the first major addition to the menu, and it has since become Burger King's signature product. Conversely, Burger King has introduced many products that have failed to catch hold in the market. Some of these failures in the United States have seen success in foreign markets, where Burger King has also tailored its menu for regional tastes. From 2002 to 2010, Burger King aggressively targeted

5969-471: The 18–34 male demographic with larger products that often carried correspondingly large amounts of unhealthy fats and trans-fats . This tactic would eventually damage the company's financial underpinnings and cast a negative pall on its earnings. Beginning in 2011, the company began to move away from its previous male-oriented menu and introduce new menu items, product reformulations, and packaging, as part of its current owner 3G Capital's restructuring plans of

6096-432: The 1970s, all of which were spurned by Pillsbury. After the failed attempts to acquire the company, the relationship between Chart House and Burger King soured and eventually devolved into a lawsuit. Chart House eventually spun off its Burger King operations in the early 1980s into a holding company called DiversiFoods which, in turn, was acquired by Pillsbury in 1984 and absorbed into Burger King's operations. As part of

6223-486: The 1970s, structural deficiencies in Burger King's franchise system became increasingly problematic for Pillsbury. A major example was the relationship between Burger King and Louisiana-based franchisee Chart House, Burger King's largest franchisee group at the time with over 350 locations in the United States. The company's owners, William and James Trotter, made several moves to take over or acquire Burger King during

6350-598: The AmeriKing failure; one of BK's regional owners, Miami-based Al Cabrera, purchased 130 stores located primarily in the Chicago and the upper mid-west region, from the failed company for a price of $ 16 million , approximately 88 percent of their original value. The new company, which started out as Core Value Partners and eventually became Heartland Foods , also purchased 120 additional stores from distressed owners and revamped them. The resulting purchases made Cabrera

6477-524: The Asian subcontinent and all Oceanic territories. The LAC region includes Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands and has no centralized operations group. Australia is the only country in which Burger King does not operate under its own name. When the company set about establishing operations down under in 1971, it found that its business name was already trademarked by

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6604-475: The Burger King headquarters with the remainder moving in phases in August 2002. Prior to the moving to its current headquarters in 2002, Burger King had considered moving away from the Miami area to Texas; Miami-Dade County politicians and leaders lobbied against this, and Burger King stayed. Before 2002, the company's previous headquarters was located in a southern Dade County campus located on Old Cutler Boulevard in

6731-435: The Canadian restaurant and coffee shop chain Tim Hortons and merge it with Burger King with backing from Warren Buffett 's Berkshire Hathaway . The two chains retained separate operations post-merger, with Burger King remaining in its Miami headquarters. A Tim Hortons representative stated that the proposed merger would allow Tim Hortons to leverage Burger King's resources for international growth. The combined company became

6858-594: The Caribbean (LAC). In each of these regions, Burger King has established several subsidiaries to develop strategic partnerships and alliances to expand into new territories. In its EMEA group, Burger King's Switzerland-based subsidiary Burger King Europe GmbH is responsible for the licensing and development of BK franchises in those regions. In APAC region, the Singapore-based BK AsiaPac, Pte. Ltd. business unit handles franchising for East Asia,

6985-523: The Indian market has the company at a competitive disadvantage with other fast food restaurants such as KFC because of the aversion of the country's large Hindu majority to beef. BK hopes to use their non-beef products, such as their TenderCrisp and TenderGrill chicken sandwiches, as well as other products like mutton sandwiches and veggie sandwiches, to help them overcome this hurdle to expand in that country. 3G has reported that it will continue with

7112-410: The NAS has concluded there is no safe level of trans fat consumption. There is no adequate level, recommended daily amount or tolerable upper limit for trans fats. This is because any incremental increase in trans fat intake increases the risk of coronary artery disease. Despite this concern, the NAS dietary recommendations have not included eliminating trans fat from the diet. This is because trans fat

7239-497: The TPC Capital-led group on hold. The developments eventually forced Diageo to lower the total selling price of the chain by almost $ 750 million . After the sale, newly appointed CEO Brad Blum initiated a program to help roughly 20 percent of its franchises, including its four largest, who were in financial distress, bankruptcy or had ceased operations altogether. Partnering with California-based Trinity Capital, LLC,

7366-585: The TPG-led group continued BK's international expansion by announcing plans to open new franchise locations in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and Brazil, the company plan is focusing on the three largest markets – India, China, and Japan. The company plans to add over 250 stores in these Asian territories, as well as other places such as Macau , by the end of 2012. Its expansion into

7493-417: The U.S. and other Western countries. At first, the argument was a financial one due to the lower costs of margarines and shortenings compared to lard and butter, particularly for restaurants and manufacturers. However, during the 1980s regulators, physicians, nutritionists, popular health media, educational curricula and cookbooks began to promote diets low in saturated fats for health reasons. Advocacy groups in

7620-508: The U.S. are attributable to the consumption of trans fats. By 2006 upper estimates of 100,000 deaths were suggested. A comprehensive review of studies of trans fats published in 2006 in the New England Journal of Medicine reports a strong and reliable connection between trans fat consumption and CAD, concluding that "On a per-calorie basis, trans fats appear to increase the risk of CAD more than any other macronutrient, conferring

7747-481: The U.S. responded by demanding the replacement of saturated animal and tropical fats with vegetable alternatives. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) campaigned vigorously against the use of saturated fats by corporations, including fast-food restaurants, endorsing trans fats as a healthier alternative. The National Heart Savers Association took out full page ads in major newspapers, attacking

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7874-487: The United States rights to the Normann patent; in 1911, they began marketing the first hydrogenated shortening , Crisco (composed largely of partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil ). Further success came from the marketing technique of giving away free cookbooks in which every recipe called for Crisco. Normann's hydrogenation process made it possible to stabilize affordable whale oil or fish oil for human consumption,

8001-573: The United States with the "Sizzle" concept. While the remodel plan was an overhaul to the entire restaurant, Burger King was also investing in a "Refresh" initiative in order to replace equipment and upgrade technologies. By the end of 2023, Burger King completed 264 remodels and exited the year with 46% of its restaurants with a modern image. Burger King Holdings was the parent company of Burger King when it went public in 2002. Burger King derived its income from several sources, including property rental and sales through company owned restaurants; however,

8128-495: The Whopper sandwich in 1957. This quarter-pound (4 oz (110 g)) hamburger was created by Burger King's new owners James McLamore and David Edgerton as a way to differentiate BK from other burger outlets at the time. Since its inception, the Whopper has become synonymous with Burger King and has become the focus of much of its advertising. The company even named its new kiosk-style restaurants Whopper Bars . Trans-fat Some trans fats arise naturally, and some are

8255-508: The Whopper to "look about 35% bigger in its advertising than it is in reality". Burger King has two in-house national charitable organizations and programs. One is the Have It Your Way Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit ( 501(c)(3) ) corporation with multiple focuses on hunger alleviation, disease prevention and community education through scholarship programs at colleges in the U.S. The other charitable organization

8382-543: The amount of trans fats in the bloodstream of breastfed infants fluctuates with the amounts found in their milk. In 1999, reported percentages of trans fats (compared to total fats) in human milk ranged from 1% in Spain, 2% in France, 4% in Germany, and 7% in Canada and the U.S. Trans fats are used in shortenings for deep-frying in restaurants, as they can be used for longer than most conventional oils before becoming rancid. In

8509-658: The assessment, believing that the move is a practical one because the company is growing with its aging customer base. Burger King Burger King Corporation ( BK , stylized in all caps ) is an American multinational chain of hamburger fast food restaurants . Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida , the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King , a Jacksonville, Florida –based restaurant chain. After Insta-Burger King ran into financial difficulties, its two Miami-based franchisees David Edgerton (1927–2018) and James McLamore (1926–1996) purchased

8636-418: The body's ability to metabolize essential fatty acids (EFAs, including Omega-3 ) leading to changes in the phospholipid fatty acid composition of the arterial walls, thereby raising risk of coronary artery disease. While the mechanisms through which trans fatty acids contribute to coronary artery disease are understood, the mechanism for their effects on diabetes is still under investigation. They may impair

8763-417: The brand. Neglect of Burger King by new owner Grand Metropolitan and its successor Diageo further hurt the standing of the brand, causing significant financial damage to BK franchises and straining relations between the parties. By 2001 and after nearly 18 years of stagnant growth, the state of its franchises was beginning to affect the value of the company. One of the franchises most heavily affected by

8890-429: The cases, the situations raised legal questions, dealt with legal compliance, or resulted in legal remedies such as changes in contractual procedure or binding agreements between parties. The resolutions to these legal matters have often altered the way the company interacts and negotiates contracts with its suppliers and franchisees, or how it does business with the public. Further controversies have occurred during

9017-485: The chain in a US$ 3.26 billion sale to 3G Capital of Brazil. Analysts from financial firms UBS and Stifel Nicolaus agreed that 3G would have to invest heavily in the company to help reverse its fortunes. After the deal was completed, the company's stock was removed from the New York Stock Exchange, ending a four-year period as a public company. The delisting of its stock was designed to help

9144-521: The communities they serve. On April 9, 2019, Nations Restaurant News reported that Burger King filed a lawsuit on Fritz Management LLC to remove Burger King trademarks from 37 units in South Texas after unsanitary conditions were found at a restaurant in Harlingen, Texas . In May 2019, the lawsuit was settled with the franchisee, Fritz Management (a subsidiary of Sun Holdings Inc), keeping

9271-552: The company a Q3, 2013 profit of US$ 68.2 million over the same quarter, 2012 of US$ 6.6 million. At the end of its 2013 fiscal year, Burger King was the second largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in terms of global locations, behind industry bellwether McDonald's, which had 32,400 locations. At the end of 2014, Burger King ranked fourth among US food chains in terms of US sales, behind McDonald's , Starbucks , and Subway . Burger King now has over 12,000 stores worldwide. In January 2024, Restaurant Brands International,

9398-531: The company established the Franchisee Financial Restructuring Initiative, a program to address the financial issues facing BK's financially distressed franchisees. The initiative was designed to assist franchisees in restructuring their businesses to meet financial obligations, focus on restaurant operational excellence, reinvest in their operations, and return to profitability. Individual franchisees took advantage of

9525-463: The company in 1959 and renamed it "Burger King". Over the next half-century, the company changed hands four times and its third set of owners, a partnership between TPG Capital , Bain Capital , and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners , took it public in 2002. In late 2010, 3G Capital of Brazil acquired a majority stake in the company in a deal valued at US$ 3.26 billion. The new owners promptly initiated

9652-523: The company licenses its franchisees varies depending on the region, with some regional franchises, known as master franchises , responsible for selling franchise sub-licenses on the company's behalf. Burger King's relationship with its franchises has not always been harmonious. Occasional spats between the two have caused numerous issues, and in several instances, the relations between the company and its licensees have degenerated into precedent-setting court cases. Burger King's Australian franchise Hungry Jack's

9779-494: The company repair its fundamental business structures and continue working to close the gap with McDonald's without having to worry about pleasing shareholders. In the United States domestic market , the chain fell to third place in terms of same store sales behind Ohio-based Wendy's . The decline was the result of 11 consecutive quarters of same store sales decline. In August 2014, 3G announced that it planned to acquire

9906-442: The company return to independence when it was purchased from Diageo by a group of investment firms led by TPG Capital for US$ 1.5 billion in 2002. The new owners rapidly moved to revitalize and reorganize the company, culminating with the company being taken public in 2006 with a highly successful initial public offering . The firms' strategy for turning the chain around included a new advertising agency and new ad campaigns,

10033-435: The company will be selling products from SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch including Budweiser , Bud Light and Miller Lite in aluminum bottles designed to maintain temperature. The move, designed to target the important 30-and-under demographic, has been called risky by industry analysts because the company is known as a fast food purveyor and not as an alcoholic beverages seller. Other industry consultants have disagreed with

10160-473: The company's assets in an attempt to profit from their sale and laid off many of its staff members. Burger King's headquarters experienced major damage in 1992 from Hurricane Andrew . After Gibbon's departure, a series of CEOs each tried to repair the company's brand by changing the menu, bringing in new ad agencies and many other changes. The parental disregard of the Burger King brand continued with Grand Metropolitan's merger with Guinness in 1997 when

10287-649: The company's expansion in the Middle East. The opening of a Burger King location in Ma'aleh Adumim , an Israeli settlement in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories , led to a breach of contract dispute between Burger King and its Israeli franchise due to the hotly contested international dispute over the legality of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories in accordance to international law. The controversy eventually erupted into

10414-517: The company's responses to these challenges have ranged from a conciliatory dialog with its critics and litigants, to a more aggressive opposition with questionable tactics and negative consequences. The company's response to these various issues has drawn praise as well as, in some instances, suggestions of political appeasement. A trademark dispute involving the owners of an unrelated restaurant also named Burger King in Mattoon, Illinois , led to

10541-402: The company. As of December 31, 2018, Burger King reported that it had 17,796 outlets in 100 countries. Of these, nearly half are located in the United States, and 99.7% are privately owned and operated , with its new owners moving to an almost entirely franchised model in 2013. Burger King has historically used several variations of franchising to expand its operations. The manner in which

10668-414: The company. In a plan called "Operation Phoenix", Smith restructured corporate business practices at all levels of the company. Changes included updated franchise agreements, a broader menu and new standardized restaurant designs. Smith left Burger King for PepsiCo in 1980 shortly before a system-wide decline in sales. Pillsbury's Executive Vice President of Restaurant Operations Norman E. Brinker

10795-582: The current evidence suggests that the Public health implications of consuming trans fats from ruminant products are relatively limited") but cautions that this may be due to the low consumption of trans fats from animal sources compared to artificial ones. A meta-analysis showed that all trans fats, regardless of natural or artificial origin equally raise LDL and lower HDL levels. Other studies though have shown different results when it comes to animal based trans fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Although CLA

10922-561: The early 1980s in Caracas , Venezuela, Santiago , Chile, and Buenos Aires , Argentina. While Burger King lags behind McDonald's in international locations by over 12,000 stores, as of 2008 it had managed to become the largest chain in several countries including Mexico and Spain. The company divides its international operations into three segments; the Middle East, Europe and Africa division (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Latin America and

11049-636: The early 21st century, non-hydrogenated vegetable oils that have lifespans exceeding that of the frying shortenings became available. As fast-food chains routinely use different fats in different locations, trans fat levels in fast food can have large variations. For example, an analysis of samples of McDonald's French fries collected in 2004 and 2005 found that fries served in New York City contained twice as much trans fat as in Hungary , and 28 times as much as in Denmark , where trans fats are restricted. At KFC ,

11176-522: The end of 2023. By the end of 2021, the WHO announced that 40 countries had implemented industrial trans fat elimination policies that "are protecting 1.4 billion people from this deadly food compound" but that 10 of the 15 countries suffering the highest health impacts from trans fats had not yet adopted a policy. A fatty acid is characterized as either saturated or unsaturated based on the respective absence or presence of C=C double bonds in its backbone. If

11303-512: The entire marketplace. Controversies and disputes have arisen with groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), governmental and social agencies, and unions and trade groups over various topics. These situations have touched on legal and moral concepts such as animal rights , corporate responsibility , ethics , and social justice . While the majority of the disputes did not result in lawsuits, in many of

11430-490: The formerly failing stores showed growth approaching 20 percent. As part of 3G's restructuring plan, the company decided to divest itself of its corporate owned locations by re-franchising them to private owners and become a 100% franchised operation by the end of 2013. The project, which began in April 2012, saw the company divest corporate-owned locations in Florida, Canada, Spain, Germany, and other regions. The move gave

11557-571: The franchising reorganization segment of Operation Phoenix, Donald N. Smith initiated a restructuring of future franchising agreements in 1978. Under this new franchise agreement, new owners were disallowed from living more than one hour from their restaurants – restricting them to smaller individuals or ownership groups and preventing large, multi-state corporations from owning franchises. Franchisees were also now prohibited from operating other chains, preventing them from diverting funds away from their Burger King holdings. This new policy effectively limited

11684-478: The goal being to simply reduce the degree of unsaturation in an unsaturated fatty acid, the production of trans fatty acids is thus an undesirable side effect of partial hydrogenation. Catalytic partial hydrogenation produces some trans -fats. The standard 140 kPa (20 psi) process of hydrogenation produces a product of about 40% trans fatty acid by weight, compared to about 17% using higher pressures of hydrogen. Blended with unhydrogenated liquid soybean oil,

11811-450: The high-pressure-processed oil produced margarine containing 5 to 6% trans fat. Based on current U.S. labeling requirements (see below), the manufacturer could claim the product was free of trans fat. The level of trans fat may also be altered by modification of the temperature and the length of time during hydrogenation. The trans fat levels can be quantified using various forms of chromatography . A type of trans fat occurs naturally in

11938-550: The intent to increase the number of privately held restaurants to 95%. In 2016, the percentage of privately owned Burger King establishments grew to 99.5%. RBI maintains that approximately 100% of Burger King franchises are privately held restaurants. Burger King was formerly headquartered in a nine-story office tower by the Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. On Monday July 8, 2002, 130 employees began working at

12065-463: The lack of growth was the nearly 400-store AmeriKing Inc., one of the largest Burger King franchisees. By 2002, the franchise owner, which until this point had been struggling under a nearly US$ 300 million debt load and been shedding stores across the US, was forced to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The failure of AmeriKing deeply affected the value of Burger King, and put negotiations between Diageo and

12192-625: The largest minority franchisee of Burger King, and Heartland one of the company's top franchises. By 2006, the company was valued at over $ 150 million , and was sold to New York–based GSO Capital Partners . Other purchasers included a three-way group of NFL athletes Kevin Faulk , Marcus Allen , and Michael Strahan who collectively purchased 17 stores in the cities of Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia ; and Cincinnati -based franchisee Dave Devoy, who purchased 32 AmeriKing stores. After investing in new decor, equipment and staff retraining, many of

12319-453: The melting point of elaidic acid is 45  °C higher than that of oleic acid. This notably means that it is a solid at human body temperatures. In the sense of food production, however, the goal is not necessarily to simply change the configuration of double bonds while maintaining the same ratios of hydrogen to carbon; rather, the goal is to decrease the number of double bonds (when a fatty acid molecule contains more than one double bond it

12446-590: The member states' territories. A related issue involving members of the Islamic faith over the interpretation of the Muslim version of canon law , Shariah , regarding the promotional artwork on a dessert package in the United Kingdom raised issues of cultural sensitivity, and, with the former example, posed a larger question about what companies must do to ensure the smooth operation of their businesses in

12573-496: The metabolism of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), but maternal pregnancy trans fatty acid intake has been inversely associated with LCPUFAs levels in infants at birth thought to underlie the positive association between breastfeeding and intelligence. Consumption of industrial trans fat in the form of partially hydrogenated oil causes many health problems. They were abundant in fast food restaurants. They are consumed in greater quantities by people who lack access to

12700-402: The milk and body fat of ruminants (such as cattle and sheep) at a level of 2–5% of total fat. Natural trans fats, which include conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenic acid , originate in the rumen of these animals. CLA has two double bonds, one in the cis configuration and one in trans , which makes it simultaneously a cis - and a trans -fatty acid. Animal-based fats were once

12827-868: The molecule contains no double C=C bonds, it is said to be saturated; otherwise, it is unsaturated to some degree. The C=C double bond is rotationally rigid. If the hydrogen bonded to each of the carbons in this double bond are on the same side, this is called cis , and leads to a bent molecular chain. If the two hydrogens are on opposite sides, this is called trans , and leads to a straight chain. Because trans fats are more linear, they crystallize more easily, allowing them to be solid (rather than liquid) at room temperatures. This has several processing and storage advantages. In nature, unsaturated fatty acids generally have cis configurations as opposed to trans configurations. Saturated fatty acids (those without any carbon-carbon double bonds ) are abundant (see tallow ), but they also can be generated from unsaturated fats by

12954-449: The name to a possessive form by adding an apostrophe "s" forming the new name Hungry Jack's. After the expiration of the trademark in the late 1990s, Burger King unsuccessfully tried to introduce the brand to the continent. After losing a lawsuit filed against it by Hungry Jack's ownership, the company ceded the territory to its franchisee. Hungry Jack's is now the only Burger King brand in Australia; Cowin's company Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd.

13081-650: The next most studied area being type-2 diabetes. The international trade in food is standardized in the Codex Alimentarius . Hydrogenated oils and fats come under the scope of Codex Stan 19. Non-dairy fat spreads are covered by Codex Stan 256-2007. In the Codex Alimentarius, trans fat to be labelled as such is defined as the geometrical isomers of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids having non-conjugated [interrupted by at least one methylene group (−CH 2 −)] carbon-carbon double bonds in

13208-657: The normal Burger King locations. While international locations sold beer at the Whopper Bar locations, the company originally stated that it did not intend to do so at its North American locations. The company changed its mind with the opening of its second Whopper Bar location in the South Beach section of the company's home town of Miami; Burger King reported that it would be the only current American, national fast food chain selling beer in its home territory. In markets where alcohol can be sold at fast food restaurants,

13335-437: The objective of supporting a broader phase-out of trans fats. Mandatory food labeling was introduced in several countries and Denmark was first to mandate limits on industrially-produced trans fats in 2004. In January 2007, faced with the prospect of an outright ban on the sale of their product, Crisco was reformulated to meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) definition of "zero grams trans fats per serving" (that

13462-699: The only trans fats consumed, but by far the largest amount of trans fat consumed today is created by the processed food industry as a side effect of partially hydrogenating unsaturated plant fats (generally vegetable oils). These partially hydrogenated fats have displaced natural solid fats and liquid oils in many areas, the most notable ones being in the fast food, snack food , fried food, and baked goods industries. Partially hydrogenated oils have been used in food for many reasons. Hydrogenation increases product shelf life and decreases refrigeration requirements. Many baked foods require semi-solid fats to suspend solids at room temperature; partially hydrogenated oils have

13589-505: The owner of the brand, announced it would purchase the largest franchisee of the chain, Carrols Restaurant Group , for around $ 1 billion. At the time of the announcement, Carrols had 1,022 Burger King locations (along with 60 Popeyes locations). The goal was to remodel 600 of the restaurants, then sell them back to franchisees over five to seven years. The move represented a departure from the existing model of largely franchising locations. While BK began its foray into locations outside of

13716-1027: The pattern was reversed, with Hungary's product containing twice the trans fat of the New York product. Even within the U.S. there was variation, with fries in New York containing 30% more trans fat than those from Atlanta . The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) advises the U.S. and Canadian governments on nutritional science for use in public policy and product labeling programs. Their 2002 Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids contains their findings and recommendations regarding consumption of trans fat ( summary ). Their recommendations are based on two key facts. First, "trans fatty acids are not essential and provide no known benefit to human health", whether of animal or plant origin. Second, while both saturated and trans fats increase levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), trans fats also lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), thus increasing

13843-455: The plans to grow globally, even ramping up the planned expansion to help increase their return on investment. It is expected that 3G Brazilian-based management connections in the region may help Burger King expand in Brazil and Latin America, where it has been having problems finding acceptable franchisees. In December 2020, Burger King India went in for an initial public offering (IPO) on

13970-498: The president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, was appointed in 2021 and oversees the operation of the Burger King Corporation in the United States and Canada. In North America, Burger King Corporation is responsible for licensing operators and administering of stores. Internationally, the company often pairs with other parties to operate locations or it will outright sell the operational and administrative rights to

14097-441: The process of fat hydrogenation . In the course of hydrogenation, some cis double bonds convert into trans double bonds. Chemists call this conversion an isomerization reaction . Hydrogenation of an unsaturated fatty acid is intended to convert unsaturated fatty acids (and unsaturated fats) to saturated derivatives. The hydrogenation process however can cause cis C=C bonds to become trans. Typical commercial hydrogenation

14224-531: The result of human actions. Trans fats occur in meat and dairy products from ruminants . For example, butter contains about 3% trans fat by weight. These naturally occurring trans fats include conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenic acid . They arise from the action of bacteria in the rumen. Polyunsaturated fats are toxic to the rumen-based bacteria, which detoxify the fats by changing some cis-double bonds to trans-double bonds. In contrast to industrially produced trans fats, this bacterial process produces only

14351-755: The right consistency to replace animal fats such as butter and lard at lower cost. They are also an inexpensive alternative to other semi-solid oils such as palm oil . Up to 45% of the total fat in those foods containing human-made trans fats formed by partially hydrogenating plant fats may be trans fat. Baking shortenings, unless reformulated, contain around 30% trans fats compared to their total fats. High-fat dairy products such as butter contain about 4%. Margarines not reformulated to reduce trans fats may contain up to 15% trans fat by weight, but some reformulated ones are less than 1% trans fat. It has been established that trans fats in human breast milk fluctuate with maternal consumption of trans fat, and that

14478-458: The rights to two pieces of equipment called "Insta-machines", opened their first restaurants. Their production model was based on one of the machines they had acquired, an oven called the "Insta-Broiler". This strategy proved to be so successful that they later required all of their franchises to use the device. After the company faltered in 1959, it was purchased by its Miami, Florida, franchisees, James McLamore and David R. Edgerton. They initiated

14605-455: The risk of coronary artery disease. The NAS is concerned "that dietary trans fatty acids are more deleterious with respect to coronary artery disease than saturated fatty acids". This analysis is supported by a 2006 New England Journal of Medicine scientific review that states "from a nutritional standpoint, the consumption of trans fatty acids results in considerable potential harm but no apparent benefit." Because of these facts and concerns,

14732-562: The size of franchisees and prevented larger franchises from challenging Burger King Corporation as Chart House had. Smith also sought to have BKC be the primary owner of new locations and rent or lease the restaurants to its franchises. This policy would allow the company to take over the operations of failing stores or evict those owners who would not conform to the company guidelines and policies. By 1988, parent company Pillsbury had relaxed many of Smith's changes, scaling back on construction of new locations, which resulted in stalled growth of

14859-408: The thermodynamically-favored trans isomer. A number of old and new ingredients are available to replace partially-hydrogenated oil containing significant levels of trans fat. These include partially-hydrogenated oil made with improved processes, plant oils rich in monounsaturated fats and saturated fats , and a mix of fats combined with interesterification . The technology has improved such that

14986-403: The third-largest international chain of fast food restaurants. The deal led to a controversy over the practice of tax inversions , in which a company decreases the amount of taxes it pays by moving its headquarters to a tax haven , a country with lower rates, but maintains the majority of their operations in their previous location. As a high-profile instance of tax inversion, news of the merger

15113-399: The trademarks on all 37 units. On November 19, 2019, a lawsuit was filed by a vegan from Atlanta, Georgia against Burger King for allegedly failing to clearly disclose that Impossible Whopper burgers were heated on the same grill as their beef burgers. The lawsuit was dismissed. On March 28, 2022, a lawsuit was filed against Burger King, alleging the fast food chain falsely advertised

15240-435: The trans configuration. This definition excludes specifically the trans fats ( vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid ) that are present especially in human milk, dairy products, and beef. In 2018 the World Health Organization launched a plan to eliminate trans fat from the global food supply. They estimate that trans fat leads to more than 500,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease yearly. Trans fat content labeling

15367-426: The two organizations formed the holding company Diageo . Eventually, the ongoing systematic institutional neglect of the brand through a string of owners damaged the company to the point where major franchises were driven out of business, and its total value was significantly decreased. Diageo eventually decided to divest itself of the money-losing chain and put the company up for sale in 2000. The 21st century saw

15494-424: The use of beef tallow in McDonald's French fries. They urged multinational fast-food restaurants and food manufacturers to switch to vegetable oils, and almost all targeted firms responded by replacing saturated fats with trans fats. Although this shift to trans fats was rooted in health concerns, there were suggestions in the scientific literature as early as 1956 that trans fats themselves could actually be

15621-595: Was associated with larger reductions in risk than an isocaloric replacement by carbohydrates." Hu also reports on the benefits of reducing trans fat consumption. Replacing 2% of food energy from trans fat with non-trans unsaturated fats more than halves the risk of CAD (53%). By comparison, replacing a larger 5% of food energy from saturated fat with non-trans unsaturated fats reduces the risk of CAD by 43%. Another study considered deaths due to CAD, with consumption of trans fats being linked to an increase in mortality, and consumption of polyunsaturated fats being linked to

15748-583: Was criticized by U.S. politicians, who felt that the move would result in a loss of tax revenue to foreign interests, and could result in further government pressure against inversions. In 2019, Burger King reported that it planned to close up to 250 low-volume locations per year, with closures coming into effect in 2020. In February 2021, Burger King began testing a customer loyalty rewards program called "Royal Perks" in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, New Jersey and Long Island, New York. Following

15875-516: Was finished. As of August 2024, the Burger King system operates more than 18,700 locations in more than 100 countries and U.S. territories. When Burger King Corporation began franchising in 1959, it used a regional model where franchisees purchased the right to open stores within a geographic region. These franchise agreements granted BKC very little oversight control of its franchisees and resulted in issues of product quality control, store image and design, and operational procedures. During

16002-457: Was only able to enter northern Alberta , in Canada , in 1995, after it paid the founders of another chain named Burger King . Legal decisions from other suits have set contractual law precedents in regards to long-arm statutes , the limitations of franchise agreements , and ethical business practices. Many of these decisions have helped define general business dealings that continue to shape

16129-839: Was tasked with turning the brand around, and strengthening its position against its main rival McDonald's. One of his initiatives was a new advertising campaign featuring a series of attack ads against its major competitors. This campaign started a competitive period between Burger King, McDonald's, and top burger chains known as the Burger wars . Brinker left Burger King in 1984, to take over Dallas-based gourmet burger chain Chili's . Smith and Brinker's efforts were initially effective, but after their respective departures, Pillsbury relaxed or discarded many of their changes, and scaled back on construction of new locations. These actions stalled corporate growth and sales declined again, eventually resulting in

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