2019 Restaurant Trend # 1: Farm to table Restaurants
The “farm-to-table” concept in the restaurant business isn’t new, but it’s gaining popularity by leaps and bounds. It is the 2019 # 1 sustainable restaurant trend. Consumers like knowing that their food is fresh and free of pesticides, hormones, and additives. For a one-location restaurant, this is an easy enough concept to follow because their purchasing is done on such a small scale. Large restaurant operations can still purchase locally, but it’s often times difficult to meet the same price points. Produce that is only grown in certain parts of the country, as well as purchasing options for meat and other essential ingredients, limits options for some your locations. Purchasing aside, how can a large restaurant chain engage in sustainable business practices that support their local communities?
Recycling Alternatives
Right off the bat, restaurants can have a positive impact on the local economy by recycling food waste as compost to local growers and other locally-based recycling opportunities. Even if your locations in Arizona buy lettuce from farms in Texas, there are still ways that your Arizona locations can have a positive impact on local farms through the diverse, custom-tailored recycling plans Quest can deliver. With a composting program, you’re not only diverting waste from a landfill – you’re helping support local growers, even if you’re not purchasing from them.
Outside-the-Box
In some cases, food waste can also be used as direct-feed for animals. There are many potential opportunities to use food waste in ways that don’t fit the standard food recycling model offered by other waste management companies. Quest has designed and implemented such a plan and was featured in an article by the Huffington Post for utilizing out-of-the-box thinking for their food waste recycling plans.
Localization is a great business practice whether it is popular or not. It just so happens that localization is a trend that consumers absolutely love. At Quest, we are constantly studying industry trends to give your business the edge it needs to maintain and grow your place in the market. Contact us today to see how we can get your restaurant group involved in the local economies they are a part of.
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