The Heart Foundation has helped its Tick licensees such as the takeaway franchise Crust Gourmet Pizza offer Australians genuinely healthier meals and is now introducing Tick, which has a 94 percent brand awareness, to highlight healthier snacks.

Coral Colyer, food supply operations manager, Heart Foundation, said “Beyond the backing of the Heart Foundation and the satisfaction of providing guaranteed healthier choices, the benefits of working with Tick can be unexpected, like Crust Gourmet PizzaÕs recent innovation award.”

Through developing innovative toppings to meet the Tick standards, Crust Gourmet Pizza BarÕs six Heart Foundation Tick approved pizzas were named the most innovative food and 15th most innovative products in Australian Anthill magazineÕs inaugural SMART 100 index.

More than 1.3 billion snacks are purchased outside home every year so food outlets now have an extra incentive to offer healthier, appropriately sized snacks.

“This extension provides opportunities for existing licensees to grow their range of Tick approved foods and opens new doors for those who have not been able to offer Tick choices previously,” Colyer said.

“Tick can help attract people to your outlet. Almost one in five Australians is already looking out for Tick in foodservice outlets, just as theyÕve sought it in the supermarket over the past two decades.”

Healthier snacks such as dried and fresh fruit, yoghurt, nut and seeds, and scoop ice-cream as well as fruit and vegetable juices can now earn the Tick if they meet Heart Foundation nutrition standards.