Slim Fast

Slim-Fast is a brand of shakes, bars, snacks, packaged meals, and other dietary supplement foods sold in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico by Unilever. Slim Fast promotes diets and weight loss plans featuring its food products. Its U.S. headquarters is in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

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Overview and history

Slim-Fast was started in 1977 by S. Daniel Abraham as part of the Thompson Medical Group.^[1] In 1987, Abraham took the brand private, and it was acquired by Unilever in 2000.

Slim-Fast struggled, as did many diet foods in 2003 with the rise of low-carb diets, with a drop in sales during one year of 21 percent. The brand responded in 2004 with a line of low-carb items that were designed to capture this market and also introduced Slim-Fast Optima products which were lower in sugar than the standard Slim-Fast products.

Slim-Fast used the phrase "a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, then a sensible dinner" for many years to describe the use of the products within the Slim-Fast plan. With the addition of snacks and an approach that allows for different calorie plans, the brand now advocates a more flexible system. The brand has recently become focused on achieving success through tying its use to the Best Life Diet.^[2] There is evidence from a 2003 study that Slim-Fast is successful at achieving long-term weight loss for those that follow the diet.^[3]

Products

Today, there are five types of Slim-Fast products available: Original, Optima, Low-carb, High protein, and Easy-to-Digest.^[4] In addition to having less sugar than the original, Slim Fast Optima shakes also contain a protein and vegetable fat blend that is designed to help with hunger control.^[5] Optima is available in the same forms as the original products, including meal bars, snack bars and powder.

Slim Fast Optima pre-made shakes come in 6-packs, in the flavors of Cappuccino Delight, Creamy Milk Chocolate, French Vanilla, Rich Chocolate Royale, and Strawberries N' Cream.

The Optima powders contain 14 servings. One scoop with 8 oz. of skim milk creates a serving. Flavors offered are Chocolate Royale, French Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, and Strawberry Supreme.

Celebrity endorsements

Famous spokespeople for Slim-Fast have included:

• Tom Lasorda
• Shari Belafonte
• Kathie Lee Gifford
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Ann Jillian
• Bob Suzie

References