The tides are shifting on food purchases, as consumers steer away from GMOs and toward “clean” food. The shift is also reflected in one of our most popular American activities: eating out, whether at a fast-food drive-through, a chain restaurant, or an exclusive fine dining venue. A preference for GMO-free restaurants is one of the top ten food trends for 2016, according to Technomic. Restaurants nationwide are picking up on the trend. Following Chipotle’s bold decision in 2013 to disclose GMO ingredients, other eateries are aiming to do as well or better. The Organic Coup in Pleasanton, California recently became the nation’s first certified organic fast food restaurant. Washington, DC-based Sweetgreen, which serves fresh, locally sourced
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In the mood for Mexican? Will it be Taco Bell or Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill (mostly in Southern California), for a dinner of organic quinoa and greens salads to mesquite-grilled tofu to Non-GMO Project verified corn tortillas? It’s up to you—and as more consumers make the latter choice, they’re learning first-hand through taste and peace of mind (an aid to good digestion) that food choices make a significant difference in their lives.
Local food sourcing, non-GMO commitment
Birchwood Cafe is a good example of the trend. The 3,600 square-foot restaurant nestled next to the Mississippi River in the heart of Minneapolis, was a popular mom-and-pop grocery store when Tracy Singleton purchased it in 1995. Reborn as a café serving organic and non-GMO entrees for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, Birchwood stands apart for its sourcing of quality food. Eggs, meats, cheeses and most of the fruits, veggies and grains are sourced from organic farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and one in Iowa.
“We’ve been unwavering in our sourcing,” Tracy said. “Either the chef or I have been to visit each grower, and if we don’t have a direct relationship, we used certified organic or verified non-GMO whenever …show more content…
In 2011-2012, she became involved in Right to Know Minnesota after watching the defeat of California’s Prop 37. Last year she testified before the state House Commerce Committee as a small business owner. “I had Birchwood’s granola product verified by the Non-GMO Project, and I asked the committee, ‘Why should I have to pay to prove that my product doesn’t have GMOs, which is what my buyers want?’ ”
Right to Know MN is strongly involved in the federal labeling issue, encouraging consumers to speak up against the DARK Act. Last fall, she traveled to D.C. with a group of organic farmers, lobbying senators prior to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s hearing on biotech foods.
Birchwood Cafe’s 58 employees (expanding to 70 in summer) serve tasty concoctions derived from seasonal produce. Birchwood’s chefs add herbs from the kitchen garden out back to Haddock à orange, Green Curry Rice, Savory Waffles, or freshly baked goods and locally brewed beers.
“People are willing to pay for food they can trust,” Tracy said. “We let them know exactly what they’re eating, and avoiding GMOs is primary. Lots of customers have changed their purchasing habits after eating at our
In the mood for Mexican? Will it be Taco Bell or Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill (mostly in Southern California), for a dinner of organic quinoa and greens salads to mesquite-grilled tofu to Non-GMO Project verified corn tortillas? It’s up to you—and as more consumers make the latter choice, they’re learning first-hand through taste and peace of mind (an aid to good digestion) that food choices make a significant difference in their lives.
Local food sourcing, non-GMO commitment
Birchwood Cafe is a good example of the trend. The 3,600 square-foot restaurant nestled next to the Mississippi River in the heart of Minneapolis, was a popular mom-and-pop grocery store when Tracy Singleton purchased it in 1995. Reborn as a café serving organic and non-GMO entrees for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, Birchwood stands apart for its sourcing of quality food. Eggs, meats, cheeses and most of the fruits, veggies and grains are sourced from organic farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and one in Iowa.
“We’ve been unwavering in our sourcing,” Tracy said. “Either the chef or I have been to visit each grower, and if we don’t have a direct relationship, we used certified organic or verified non-GMO whenever …show more content…
In 2011-2012, she became involved in Right to Know Minnesota after watching the defeat of California’s Prop 37. Last year she testified before the state House Commerce Committee as a small business owner. “I had Birchwood’s granola product verified by the Non-GMO Project, and I asked the committee, ‘Why should I have to pay to prove that my product doesn’t have GMOs, which is what my buyers want?’ ”
Right to Know MN is strongly involved in the federal labeling issue, encouraging consumers to speak up against the DARK Act. Last fall, she traveled to D.C. with a group of organic farmers, lobbying senators prior to the Senate Agriculture Committee’s hearing on biotech foods.
Birchwood Cafe’s 58 employees (expanding to 70 in summer) serve tasty concoctions derived from seasonal produce. Birchwood’s chefs add herbs from the kitchen garden out back to Haddock à orange, Green Curry Rice, Savory Waffles, or freshly baked goods and locally brewed beers.
“People are willing to pay for food they can trust,” Tracy said. “We let them know exactly what they’re eating, and avoiding GMOs is primary. Lots of customers have changed their purchasing habits after eating at our