*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state to find out specific information about this.

*This information is provided by the NC Craft Brewers Guild. Read the original article here.

Did you know that there are new FDA (Food and Drug Administration) labeling requirements? If not, we’ll catch you up to speed!

Now chain restaurants are required to provide calorie information on the menu.

This new rule applies to restaurants or retail food establishments, such as a bakery, a convenience store selling food for immediate consumption, or a concession stand, that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations that do business under the same trade name.

The businesses will be required to include calorie information on menus for all standard items. Calorie information includes:

• total calories,
• calories from fat,
• total fat,
• saturated fat,
• trans fat,
• cholesterol,
• sodium,
• total carbohydrates,
• dietary fiber,
• sugars, and
• protein

Because this only applies to standard items on the menu, these requirements do not apply to daily specials, custom orders, alcoholic beverages on display that are not self-served, or temporary menu items.

Alcoholic beverages are included in the new menu labeling requirements. So, what does this mean for breweries and distilleries?

 The menu requirement DOES apply to alcoholic beverages. The rules apply to all alcoholic beverages that are listed on the menu, excluding daily specials, custom orders, alcoholic beverages on display that are not self-service, or temporary items.

How can calorie and nutrient information for alcoholic beverage products be obtained?

Use a “reasonable basis” for determining calorie information. A “reasonable basis” can include nutrient databases, cookbooks, laboratory testing, etc.

How will breweries be affected?

The new labeling requirement will affect all breweries that sell products to chain establishments with 20 or more locations. These establishments will likely request that the brewery provide the calorie and nutritional information for its products sold at the establishment.

*The Brewers Association will be running laboratory analyses for about 100 beer styles over the next year which they plan to submit to the USDA database.

Contact us!

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at john@beerlawcenter.com or call 919-335-5291.

Be sure to check out Beer Law Center and Matheson Law Office for all things NC legal.

Contact the NC Craft Brewers Guild:

https://ncbeer.org/