Type Program: commercial weight loss center chain

Type of Foods Used: Company brand entrees and snacks, combined with some regular grocery items.

At-home or Direct Mail Plan Available? Yes

*Although the cost of their food averages roughly $100/week, this expenditure replaces about 50% of the client’s normal food purchases. Since most people spend about $50/week on food per person, between normal grocery purchases and occasional eating out, the true incremental cost of being on the Jenny Craig program is about $50/week. There is usually a registration/program fee that ranges from $199-399, although specials are offered such as their 3 month plan to lose lose 20 lbs. for $20.

5770 Fleet St.

Carlsbad, CA 92008

760-696-4000

Website: www.jennycraig.com (locate your nearest centre by using website’s zip code locator)

Jenny Craig is still one the largest U.S.- based commercial weight loss chains, in terms of sales and number of centers—650 franchised and company-owned centres worldwide. The company has been in business for 22+ years and is no longer publicly owned. In June 2006, the company was sold to Nestle, becoming part of their Nutrition division. Jenny Craig was a public company until five years ago, then was taken private in May 2002 by an investment group. The company began operations in the U.S. in 1985.

The Jenny Craig Weight Loss Program is currently available internationally—with centres located in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Guam and Puerto Rico. The total for the U.S. and Canada is about 550 centres. Food can be shipped via the Jenny Direct program to the U.S. and Canada only.

The program has been designed by the company's registered dietitians, clinical psychologists, and team of Medical Advisors. Menu plans range from 1200-1700 calories. The proprietary food line, "Jenny’s Cuisine", encompasses approximately 75 items, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, as well as videos, audiotapes, cookbooks and exercise accessories. An average of more than 120,000 people are actively on the Jenny Craig program at any given time.

Special plans are available for those with diabetes, who weight more than 400 lbs., are over 65 years old, and for adolescents and women who are lactating.

About 85% of the company's clients are women, typically ranging in age from 35 to 55. The average customer is a 42-year old woman with about 40 lbs. to lose and a household income of $55,000. Customers usually stay on plan for 3 months and they average 15 centre visits per year.

Actress Valerie Bertinelli is Jenny Craig's most recent celebrity spokesperson, joining actress Kirstie Ally. Ally began appearing in commercials for the company in late 2004 and has reportedly lost 75 lbs.

The company now has a very good, user-friendly and informative website (with a neat virtual tour of a typical center and audio scripts and information buttons) and seems to be offering a variety of weight loss-related products that augment its program. The company’s e-commerce store now sells: vitamins, exercise and motivational audio and video tapes, and pedometers.

In addition, one can participate via the website in message boards and chat rooms, hear about Internet specials and get discount coupons, sign up for the free eJenny newsletter, access an online menu planner, a weight tracker, and all eJenny recipes.

BestDietForMe.com analysts spoke to some former employees who revealed to us that in the past, the Jenny Craig program was referred to as "your mother’s diet program"—the firm had a problem connecting with younger women. The company is trying to change that image, and appeal especially to working women.

Jenny Craig updated their program in 2004. YourStyle^TM uses a questionnaire to evaluate a person's food and activity preferences, and weight loss mindset, to produce a customized weight loss plan. The company feels that there are many factors that influence a person's weight management style, including time constraints, travel schedules, food likes and dislikes, meal patterns, exercise routines, and their dieting history.

With YourStyle^TM, Jenny Craig consultants provide a client with a questionnaire at their first meeting that addresses all aspects of the food-body-mind platform. The client's responses are then analyzed to reveal the behavioral, attitudinal and lifestyle factors that influence their ability to make healthier choices. Consultants, now equipped with this information, create an action plan (including customized menus, activity strategies and self-nurturing rewards) that serve as the blueprint for weekly one-to-one meetings, and which provides the client with a personal road map for weight loss success.

The YourStyle^TM questionnaire is divided into three sections: eating style, activity stage, and weight loss mindset. Based on the client's responses, Jenny Craig consultants determine whether you are an "uninformed", "emotional", "unconscious" or "social eater", and whether your activity stage falls within: "contemplation", "preparation", "maintenance", or "action." It also determines whether you are a "self-validator", "self-critic", "self-nurturer or "self-sacrificer."

YourStyle^TM also includes new menu additions, high protein and meatless options.

The Jenny Craig program includes one-on-one consultations at its centers with their counselors, and is based on menu plans that are nutritionally balanced according to the recommendations of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Purchase of company food is mandatory. There are about 75 items in the company’s food roster.

One may call 1-800-597-JENNY for a free 30-minute consultation. There are still significant sign-up fees to join the Jenny Craig program. Basically, you pay for the "service" portion of the program up-front (instead of spreading it out at about $10 week with Weight Watchers). Their most recent promotion is to lose 20 lbs. for $20 (or 90 days), plus the cost of Jenny's foods. This comes to a total of $110-116 per week.

* Jenny On Track plan... a 6-month plan, which includes food (menu plans), body (personal activity plan), and mind (motivation) modules, and one-to-one consultations with a Jenny Craig counselor--for $199 plus the cost of food.

 * Jenny Rewards plan... A significant number of participants who enroll purchase this program for a fee of $399. This is a lifetime plan with an annual renewal fee of $39. You may come back for maintenance consultations with a counselor. The Jenny Rewards program includes all features of the Jenny On Track program above PLUS: Maintenance consultations and a Mastery Manual, and 10-35% off the cost of food while in maintenance, as well as the ability to obtain a refund of a portion of the service fee if certain criteria are met. A $99 spouse plan is also offered.

In addition, the company may offer special limited introductory programs for a lower fee. The current promotion is the Jenny Tune Up trial program, at $20 to lose 20 lbs. or 3 month's membership, plus the cost of food.

As a part of the Ultimate Choiceä Program, Jenny Craig offers two options to help you get started. With this plan, dieters may choose any company brand items they want, under the general recommendation of a breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can skew this selection to lower carbohydrate items, if desired.

The nutritional composition of Jenny Craig’s Planned Menus calls for 50%-60% of calories derived from carbohydrates, 20%-30% from protein and 20% from fat. Clients can choose either pre-planned weekly menus, or craft their own Personal Menus in line with their personal tastes or needs.

• In-Centre Program – private meetings and support from an experienced personal Consultant at a Jenny Center highlight this program.

• Jenny Direct Program – The Jenny Direct Program offers a trained Jenny Craig Consultant to guide and encourage you over the telephone. This plan is geared to customers who may live in areas far from a local centre, or who want the convenience or privacy of a telephone consultation. Food is shipped directly to your home.

The majority of Jenny Craig clients still choose the In-Centre program, but the Jenny Direct part of their business is becoming more popular. In fact, the company says that this is the fastest growing part of their business. (What does this trend mean?  Perhaps it's too difficult for the average dieters to make it to a centre each week, or that dieters are starting to prefer counseling more anonymously by phone or via the Internet. Attendance at Weight Watchers' weekly meetings in North America has not been growing as fast recently either, while NutriSystem, with its concept of NO personal meetings, is experiencing tremendous growth.)

During the weight loss consultation, you meet with your own consultant to celebrate your victories, discuss challenges you faced during the week, and create a plan to address them. Progress is measured and the consultant will assist you with any other needs you may have. The client plans their personalized menu during the In-Centre visits, or uses the online menu planner to get a head start on the weekly consultation.

As part of the company’s expanding emphasis on balance and physical activity, all company counselors are now certified by the nationally known Cooper Institute in Dallas to provide customized exercise programs for Jenny’s customers. Most personalize programs using simple tactics to increase a clients’ regular physical activity, including access to exercise tapes and materials. If needed, clients are referred to local health clubs.

Jenny's Cuisine food items are shipped in 2- or 4-week increments via UPS, which takes 5-7 business days to arrive at your home. You can also receive your foods quicker via FedEx (1-2 day delivery) for an extra fee. Each week, you speak with your personal consultant (nutritionists and other trained counselors) for a 15-minute, private phone consultation. He/she will help monitor your weight loss progress; set personal goals to form a healthy relationship with food, lead an active lifestyle, provide strategies to handle such situations as dining out, traveling, stress and unplanned changes. To help ensure that each day's menu is nutritionally balanced, each shipment you receive will contain two Jenny Craig supplements. The Jenny Direct membership is transferable to a Jenny Craig Centre and vice-versa. This plan will cost about $105-133 per week ($15-19/day), including shipping costs.

The company may offer an Internet special periodically, a free 30-day program (plus the cost of food), where you can see if Jenny’s program is right for you.

In May 2003, the company formed alliances with two healthcare organizations. The first was Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, via a new online program called SpecialOffers@Anthem. Jenny Craig offers special enrollment incentives to the insurer’s millions of members. A similar discounted plan is offered in "All Things Equal", a newsletter that Equal^® Brand Sweetener delivers to 700,000+ subscribers.

Jenny Craig has been in the weight loss business for over 22 years and provides a safe and professionally run program. It has one the nation’s top obesity exerts on its Advisory Board, Dr. Kelly Brownell, as well as exercise expert Steven Blair at the Cooper Institute in Dallas. Many customers claim that Jenny’s food line is among the best tasting diet foods. The company does offer a complete program, both in-person and via the Internet and its Jenny Direct plan. It also does provide for dieters with special needs, such as diabetics. If you prefer not to count calories or keep track of points, and like the convenience of ready-made entrees you don’t have to think about, and want one-on-one counseling, this may be the program for you. Its food line is comprehensive and high quality.