1851

Clean eating has been one of the most dominant food trends of 2016. And as more brands start to incorporate fresh, locally-sourced ingredients into their menus, it becomes increasingly clear that this trend is here to stay.

&ldquo;Clean labels remains a dominant trend in food and drinks, and is set to become more important in beauty and personal care,&rdquo; said John Madden, head of ingredients at Euromonitor International, in an <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/22/clean-eating-has-pushed-food-makers-to-use-ingredients-you-can-recognize.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke-6242" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview with CNBC</a>. He continued, &ldquo;The clean label tag can mean many things but at its heart is consumers having trust in the product they consume, and an understanding that they are beneficial and safe. The use of natural ingredients and the removal of artificial and more controversial ingredients, such as certain preservatives and antimicrobials, continues.&rdquo;

The clean eating craze all started with Chipotle&mdash;the brand was one of the first big names to promote simple recipes made with natural ingredients. As consumers caught on and the demand for clean options started to rise, more brands made it a part of their DNA. Panera Bread has dominated the conversation as of late&mdash;the brand has been making headlines since it announced it was removing artificial flavors, sweeteners and preservatives from its menu and line of grocery items in stores across the country.

But making the switch over to fresh ingredients can be costly for fast casual brands. True locally-sourced food comes at a premium&mdash;a bag of <a href="https://1851franchise.com/details/4519/The-Race-from-Farm-to-Table-for-Fast-Casual-Restaurants-is-Forcing-Some-to-Cut-Corners" target="_blank">vegetables can cost up to four times more</a> at a farmer&rsquo;s market than from a large distributor. In order to avoid putting those costs back on the consumer by drastically increasing prices, brands are relying on high demand to boost their bottom lines.

People are more concerned with what they&rsquo;re eating than ever before&mdash;according to a survey by the <a href="http://www.restaurant.org/Home?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke-6242" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Restaurant Association</a>, 57 percent of consumers said the availability of local food is an important factor in deciding where to go out to eat. So when a brand offers a heightened level of transparency when it comes to its ingredients, consumers are more likely to become loyal customers.

Brands are also trying to keep costs down by forming relationships with local farms and vendors. That&rsquo;s why farm-to-table concepts are experiencing such rapid growth.

Bob Benenson, who manages communications for the nonprofit FamilyFarmed that promotes local, organic foods and provides support and training to farmers, <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/ingredients-dayparts/farming-flux?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke-6242" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">told QSR Magazine</a>, &ldquo;Farm to table went from a little niche&hellip; to a trend to a way of cooking, a way of doing business that has become so common that if you talk to some of the original farm-to-table chefs&hellip; they&rsquo;ll say they don&rsquo;t even use [the term] anymore because it would be clich&eacute;. It&rsquo;s just the way we do our business.&rdquo;

Another approach that franchisors are taking in order to the lower the price on healthy menu items is differentiating between ingredients that are worth more money and those that can be purchased for less. <a href="https://saladworks.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke-6242" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Saladworks</a>, for example, spent six months finding all natural, never frozen chicken that lived up to the clean eating definition it knew its consumers were looking for. Because the item is one of the most popular salad toppings on its menu, the brand was willing to pay a higher price. But in order to offset that and prevent menu prices from skyrocketing, Saladworks looked for ways to take the cost out of other products.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve made a commitment to our franchisees to keep the quality of our food up while driving the cost down. You don&rsquo;t have to sacrifice one for the other,&rdquo; said Patrick Sugrue, CEO of Saladworks. &ldquo;We do our due diligence when it comes to working with the right suppliers&mdash;we want to source our ingredients from someone who will deliver the freshest, safest and most delicious food, not go with the easy option.&rdquo;

Because the clean eating movement is still young, it&rsquo;s unclear how exactly brands will be able to maintain steady revenue streams while at the same time trying to incorporate fresh, locally sourced ingredients into their menus. But fast casual brands will have to work together with various local vendors in order to be successful.

&ldquo;You have to trust each other and figure out how you make this work in an honest way so that everybody can win and everybody can be successful,&rdquo; said Dan Long, the co-founder and chief culinary innovator behind Mad Greens, in an <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/ingredients-dayparts/farming-flux?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke-6242" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">interview with QSR Magazine</a>. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t help us if we drive such a hard bargain that it puts them out of business. That&rsquo;s in nobody&rsquo;s interest.&rdquo;

How Brands Are Capitalizing on the Clean Eating Trend Without Going Broke

1851 Franchise

The healthy fast casual segment is one of the fastest growing categories in the restaurant industry.



This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

how-brands-are-capitalizing-on-the-clean-eating-trend-without-going-broke

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

How Brands Are Capitalizing on the Clean Eating Trend Without Going Broke

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS