The National Restaurant Association Show in May 2010 highlighted "green as a direction, not a destination", with restaurant owners/operators and foodservice consultants in agreement that "going green" hits on a variety of shades. This corresponds to not only to diverse capabilities of those implementing practices but also to the varying expectations of consumers. An interview with Green Restaurant Association (GRA) member Bleeding Heart Bakery in Chicago noted that green consumers are a formidable group and show strong loyalty toward restaurants practicing sustainable practices. Key players note that ultimately, green will be less a choice than a mandate, but that mandate has not yet come from consumers, based on research by Kairos Consumers. Consumers do, however, have some specific ideas regarding ideal menu options, with looming nutritional legislation somewhat diluted by the throes of the recession. A substantial portion of consumers dining out-of-home continue to indulge - with minimal guilt - rather than count calories, fat grams or sodium content, noting that the experience is a treat. What is the connection between green and healthy, if any? Find out in the July 2010 Kairos Learning on Sustainability in U.S. Consumer Foodservice at www.kairosconsumers.com. |
Last Updated on Wednesday, 02 February 2011 12:46 |