BREAKING NEWS: Rich Fegley, owner of the Fegley’s Brew Works has been chosen by WDIY to sit on the panel of the October 13th PINTS & POLICY night with the topic “From Field to Fork…why support local farmers?” The evening will explore the issue of using local food sources and supporting farmers in the Lehigh Valley region as well as the greater issues of responsible restaurant practices.

Lehigh Valley, PA-

‘Sustainability’ has become much more than a buzzword over the last several years as consumers have become more conscious of the effects of their choices on the world around them. Local restaurateurs here in the Valley are helping diners by giving them healthier choices that are also better for the health of our environment.

The Fegley family has been operating their Brew Works restaurants in the Lehigh Valley for almost a dozen years. Rather than dragging their feet like many corporate chains concerned with shareholders, they have always chosen to stride forward on health initiatives through the years.

“We eat here every day, sometimes twice a day,” said owner Richard Fegley, “But it’s not only that we’re making choices for ourselves here, it’s the ethical thing to do for all of our guests.”

Brew Works led the way by banning smoking in their restaurants and lounges many months before legislation came along to eliminate it in competing establishments. They were also the among the first restaurants in the Valley to go ‘trans-fat free’, by pushing their suppliers to provide healthier items across the board and eliminating products with hydrogenated oils. Now, with the recent release of re-formulated menus at their three Valley locations, Fegley’s Brew Works are positioning themselves to be a leader in the world of responsible restaurant practices.

Some of the new changes include:

• Local and organic produce – supporting local farmers, by buying freshest local seasonal produce. Working to gain access to as much local and organic produce as possible.

• Sustainable agriculture produce – finding farms with food production methods that do not harm the environment, respect and provide fair wages to their workers, and support farming communities.

• All-natural meats - meats from producers committed to raising livestock traditionally, humanely and sustainably. Prefer suppliers who use no hormones, antibiotics or growth enhancers and use only appropriate feeds for their animals (for instance, only vegetarian diets).

• Healthier poultry – serving FreeBird Chicken. Free of antibiotics & hormones, and free to wander without cages and always fed a natural corn and soybean diet, free of animal byproducts. FreeBird chickens are raised on sustainable Pennsylvania family farms.

• Responsible fish and seafood – committed to the Seafood Watch guidelines put forth by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and pushing suppliers to give support in this commitment by accessing sustainable seafood products.

Suppliers and Vendors of Note:

• LC’s Farm Alastar, Riegelsville PA

• Little Peace Farm, Schuylkill Haven, PA

• FreeBird Chicken, Amish Country, PA

• Rastelli Meats, Swedesboro, NJ

• Pocono Produce, Stroudsburg, PA

A recent article in Time Magazine by Bryan Walsh, “Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food” does a great job in explaining the growing awareness that the public has about the food choices they make.

For further information please contact:

Michael Fegley, Marketing and Public Relations

Allentown and Bethlehem Brew Works

812-816 Hamilton Street

Allentown, PA 18101

610.433.7777

484.223.3806 (fax)

mike@thebrewworks.com