Business notebook

McDonald’s says it is simplifying its grilled chicken recipe to remove ingredients people might not recognize, marking the latest sign the company is rethinking its menu to keep up with changing tastes.

The company says it expects the new “Artisan Grilled Chicken” to be in its more than 14,300 U.S. stores by the end of next week in products including a new sandwich, as well as existing sandwiches, wraps and salads.

It says the biggest change is the removal of sodium phosphates, used to keep the chicken moist, in favor of vegetable starch. The new recipe also does not use maltodextrin, generally used as a sugar to increase browning or as a carrier for seasoning.

Jessica Foust, director of culinary innovation at McDonald’s, said the changes were made because customers said they want “simple, clean ingredients” they are familiar with.

IN BRIEF

▪  U.S. car buyers tapped the brakes in March, a sign of a long-expected slowdown in the blistering pace of sales. Car buying site TrueCar.com predicted total U.S. sales of 1.5 million vehicles, down less than 1 percent from March 2014. It was the first monthly decline since September 2013.

Not everyone saw declines. Hyundai’s U.S. sales jumped 12 percent after a boost in incentives. Subaru’s sales were up 10 percent. BMW, which makes its X3-X6 vehicles in South Carolina’s Upstate, reported its sales increased 12. 2 percent. Toyota’s sales were up 5 percent, and FCA – parent of Chrysler and Fiat – said its sales rose 2 percent.

Those gains were offset by lower sales at other major automakers. General Motors’ sales fell 2 percent and Ford and Nissan both saw 3 percent declines. Honda’s sales were down 5 percent. Volkswagen’s sales plummeted 18 percent.

▪  U.S. factories expanded last month at a weaker pace, with orders growing more slowly and hiring essentially flat. The Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday its manufacturing index slipped to 51.5 in March from 52.9 in February. It was the fifth straight drop. Still, any reading above 50 signals expansion.

U.S. manufacturers have faced a drag in recent months from falling oil prices, a rising dollar, winter storms and a since-resolved shutdown of West Coast ports that has created a backlog of shipments.

▪  U.S. construction spending slipped for the second month in February, pulled down by a drop in single-family home building.

Construction spending fell 0.1 percent in February after a revised 1.7 percent drop in January, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The result in part reflects bitter winter weather that constrained construction in many parts of the country during the month. Economists are hopeful for a rebound in the spring and summer as the economy strengthens.

From Wire Reports.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 11:38 PM with the headline "Business notebook."