Fast Foodz: Salad days are better than ever

Today's consumer is looking for foods that not only fit into their fast-paced lives but also into their health-conscious diets – ones filled with dietary needs that focus on everything from managing chronic illness to maintaining low calories.

 

Perhaps it's no surprise then that greener menus are sprouting up in America's most popular chains. No longer content as a looked over side item, salads are sharing more menu space with their trans-fatty counterparts than ever before, promoting good health and disease prevention with their vitamins and minerals in the form of salad bars, combo deals and full entrees.

 

The National Restaurant Association's 2005 Restaurant Industry Forecast shows entrée salad orders having the largest increase of all menu items at both full-service and fast service restaurants.

 

"According to the 2005 forecast, fast service restaurants report an increasing consumer interest in entrée salads and 78% say they are now receiving more of those orders.  Full-service restaurants also report an increasing number of orders for entrée salads now compared to two years ago." 

 

The Produce Marketing Association reports the sale of fresh-cut produce is expected to top $10.5 billion in 2005, up from $2.6 billion in 1994.  And a recent survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, for the Grocery Manufacturers of America in 2005, found 30% of women listed fruits, vegetables and/or salads as their favorite food.

Favorite foods are what chains like Bear Rock Café, are hoping you'll find at one of their locations; which may explain why in addition to a menu that offers soups, baked potatoes, fresh breads, sandwiches and gourmet desserts, they recently added 3 new salads to a menu that already offered 4 to choose from.

 

"Our goal was to take our salad offering into a new arena.  We wanted to have each salad provide a bold and unique flavor profile with a bit of an ethnic edge," says Deneen Nethercutt, VP of Marketing for Bear Rock, whose company worked with outside culinary experts to the create salads, which include:

 

Napa Valley Salad - Julienne smoked turkey, fresh greens, mesclun mix, red onions, bacon, mushroom, pecan, tomatoes, topped with sun dried cranberries and gorgonzola – served with pinot noir shallot vinaigrette dressing.

 

Nuevo Poblano Salad – Thin strips of chicken breast, grilled/red peppers, red onions, grilled corn kernels, black beans, shredded cheddar, tomatoes, fresh field green and mesclun mix, sprinkled with chopped chives and creamy roasted Poblano dressing. 

 

Santa Fe BBQ Salad - Cubed grilled chicken breast, greens and mesclun mix, red peppers and red onions, cucumbers, grilled corn kernels, bacon crisps, chopped chives and tomatoes, garnished with tortillas – served with BBQ dressing.

 

Salads tend to be most popular during Bear Rocks' busiest time of day – lunch.  Seasons also play a role in what sells best.  "We see higher salad sales in the summer months – with soup and baked potato sales stronger in the winter months," says Nethercutt.  

 

As with other menu items, salads are deleted and modified based on input from customers, culinary trends and compliments to Bear Rocks' menu.  The company plans the launch of particular products in specific locations at least 3 months in advance. "We timed the new salad launch for summer to maximize their appeal," says Nethercutt.  

 

With a promo or new menu rollout the company offers 2 one-hour training sessions for the restaurant teams to educate them on the items and procedures; hands-on train the production of the new items and conduct a full tasting of each new item. The production time for salads tend to be somewhere in the middle of other menu items – and is also dependent on which salad. 

 

Time and tasting from its customers will help determine the success of Bear Rock salads.

 

The company now has its guest's rate items for taste, presentation, temp, portion size, value and likelihood of re-ordering with a 1-45 rating scale.

 

"If the item meets our requirements in the test then it is rolled out system wide to all Bear Rock café locations nationally," explains Nethercutt.  "About 3 weeks after the item is live in restaurants we gather Natural Order Testing feedback to see how guests rate each item."  How well an item is selling and comment card feedback are also measurements on how well an item is performing.

 

"We are confident with our new salads and expect them to do well.  In fact, on average system-wide the 3 new salads account for approximately 8-10% of total gross sales," says Nethercutt.

 

Dozens of other fast casual and traditional QSR's are feeling confident about their decisions to toss salads into their menus as well. McDonalds sold more than 150 million salads in 2003 and has extended its golden arches in Europe where they are remodeling stores to offer more salads and low cal foods. 

 

Burger King may be looking to get noticed for more than their burgers with 5 salads selections on their menu, Wendy's has a 'feel good about eating' motto that compliments the 7 salads it offers and Subway – recognized for their fresh menu choices offer 4 fresh salads.

 

Barberitos, a growing fast casual chain known for its southwestern-inspired food has added its salad selection. "We've expanded our salad selection to include options catering to vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike – offering steak, chicken, guacamole and regular salads with crisp lettuce or spinach, heart-healthy black and pinto beans, fresh salsa, and a variety of bold and flavorful accoutrements," says Kelly Acosta. 

 

Panera Bread, a specialty bread café and competitor in the salad market has watched its revenues increase 33.1% to $140.2 million for the second quarter ending July 12, 2005 from 105.3 million in the second quarter of 2004.  

 

Recent reports also indicate that more fruits and vegetables may be chopping away at the profits of industries such as the French fry manufacturers – who in 2003 reported their biggest sales decline in 15 years – while salads were selling well.

 

Fruits and vegetables have sprung their way to the top of IFT's 2005 'Top 10 Global Food Trends Report', listing fruit as America's second favorite snack, and salads ranking 4^th in fastest growing most ordered food. The study found that more than half of consumers plan to eat more fruits and vegetables in 2005 – with broccoli topping of the veggie list.

 

An AC Neilsen 2005 report shows sales of pre-cut fresh salad mix reached 2.4 billion in super-markets in 2004, up 7.5% last year, - with fresh cauliflower up 12.5%, celery 7.4%, and salad dressings up $3.59 billion in 2004 for their 3^rd consecutive growth of 7% annual growth; all indicators that consumers are tossing aside other menu choices in favor of greener fare.