La Granja: Healthy Fast Food

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1 Natasha Adams 9/25/2012 DFM 353 BUSINESS PROPOSAL OVERVIEW La Granja: Healthy Fast Food We here at La Granja believe that all people have the right to healthy food. We pledge to provide healthy balanced meals using organic and local ingredients combined with excellent customer service; all at an inexpensive price. The money our customers spend goes back into our garden project which serves as a living classroom for local families who wish to take control over their food, bodies and health. -La Granja Restaurant My interest in the food justice movement and public health guided my decision to create a food service establishment that would promote a diet rich in nutrients while also embodying the food movement s ideals of using local, organic and ethically sourced ingredients. I wanted to create a restaurant that would give back to and support the local community by providing food that comes from community gardens, including one sponsored by the restaurant, and local farmers. I am continually amazed at how much food insecurity exists in California, as we are such a large agricultural producer. I decided to set my restaurant in South Los Angeles, a section of the city known for being a food desert. Food deserts describe usually poor neighborhoods where there is restricted access to healthy, fresh, nutrient dense food. People who live in food deserts often have diets high in sugar, fat and sodium. Most food is purchased from convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

2 While some corner stores do stock produce and dairy, these items are usually unappealing; either rotten or past their expiration dates. The USDA estimates that groceries sold in food deserts cost 10% more than groceries sold in supermarkets meaning that those who grapple with food insecurity must pay more for food that is of lesser quality (Trimarchi, 2008, pp. 1). Lack of nutrition education, restricted access to supermarkets and financial troubles lead to poor food choices, often motivated by convenience and price. The residents of South Los Angeles are not just living in a food desert; they are living in an environment which actively promotes an unhealthy lifestyle. In an article published in the Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Roberta Freidman and Marlene B Schwartz describe a phenomenon known as an optimal default which they say would play a key role in fighting the nation s battle with obesity. An optimal default is when health promoting behaviors are the easiest most convenient method possible to achieve a goal. La Granja seeks to create an optimum default and alleviate some of the health problems associated with food deserts in South Los Angeles by providing inexpensive and convenient health food in the form of a fast food style eatery that also supports the local community by using community and urban gardens as sources for ingredients. In addition to working with local gardeners and farmers, my restaurant will sponsor its own community garden where we will grow fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, squash, greens, corn, strawberries and herbs. The garden space will also have a hen house where we will get eggs for our breakfast items. The community garden project will employ a variety of gardening techniques and will serve as a place to mentor school aged children and their families interested in food production and the food justice movement. While participation in the garden project will

3 help empower the community, the ultimate goal of La Granja is to make it easier for people to eat more fruits and vegetables, regardless of their interest in growing them. Often, knowledge of healthy food choices is not enough to compete with the taste of a double cheeseburger and fries. It is important to acknowledge that diet changes occur slowly; that is a person who consumes high fat, high salt foods like French fries and cheeseburgers is likely to refuse a bowl of kale and tofu as an alternative. However, some foods may be enjoyed closer to their whole form. In creating the menu, it is essential to understand who will be eating at La Granja. South Los Angeles is largely populated by Latinos, African Americans and households led by single women. Recent statistics show that the area is home to 1.36 million Angelinos 87.2% of which are Latino (56.3% of that 87% are foreign born, hailing from either Mexico or El Salvador), 10.1% are black. Thirty percent of adults and twenty-nine percent of children are obese. Of these 1.36 million people, 11.7% have Diabetes, the highest ratio for Diabetes: population in Los Angeles County. Supermarkets only make up 2% of food stores and 45% of food comes in the way of fast food eateries (Winter, 2012, pp. 1). The median income is $33,044 for an average household of 3.1 people, and 40% of households own at least one car (Bassford, Galloway-Gilliam, Flynn, and Morrison, January 2012, pp.10). The native diets of Mexico and El Salvador are centered on beans, corn and chilies and are actually quite healthy. Much of the health problems this population suffers are due to the Western diet. The problem lies in the food preferences of immigrants children who are quickly learning to like fast food and convenience store fare. According to a survey by Community Health Council, 53% of children in the area eat fast food at least once a week and 55% drink at least one sugary beverage a day (Bassford, Gilliam-Galloway, Flynn, and Morrison, January 2012, pp. 13). For this reason, special attention will be given to creating child-friendly meals.

4 We will offer a semi- selective menu, one in which the consumer can exercise his or her own personal preference with respect to fillings and toppings for salads, burritos and tacos. In an effort to capitalize on the current local, organic and sustainable food trend (2012 Food Service Trends: Healthy, Local with a Focus on Kids, pp.1) and increase ease of access to healthy foods; my restaurant will serve a mix of California cuisine and dishes based on traditional recipes. A typical day s menu will offer the following: Breakfast burritos (using our hens eggs, our garden s produce and house made, lard-free tortillas, either corn or whole wheat), whole beans (black, pinto or mashed), low-fat cheese; veggie and chicken tacos, and tamales (chicken, cheese, squash and beans, seasonal veggie, plantains). Sides will include green salads, roasted peppers, spicy potatoes, house-made salsas, and seasonal fruit (served in either 4 oz. or 8 oz. portions). Our beverage menu will feature 100% fruit and or vegetable juice, Mexican hot chocolate, and free water. In addition to our entrées and sides, we will offer lunch boxes, our version of a combo or happy meal, that provide an entrée item, 2 sides: one fruit, one veggie based and a juice or low-fat milk (water is free). While La Granja cannot directly compete with McDonalds, Taco Bell, KFC and Subway, it does seek to provide an alternative that is healthy, culturally appropriate, convenient, and most of all, inexpensive. In order to attract the people who eat-on-the-run, La Granja will offer a drive-thru in addition to some inside seating. The maximum capacity inside will be 50 occupants and there will be up seating for up to 15 outside the restaurant. Pricing will be extremely important. It should be possible to feed a family of four for twenty dollars or less so as to remain competitive with traditional fast food restaurants and I hope to keep costs down by sourcing most of our fresh ingredients from our garden. In addition, we will implement the ready-prepared or

5 cook and chill method of food preparation so that our meals may be assembled quickly and efficiently which should keep labor costs low and increase quality control. La Granja will also accept WIC vouchers and EBT, so as to provide incentive for young mothers and families on food stamps to dine at La Granja. Ideally a fast food eatery that provides healthy options would change the marketplace in addition to changing consumer taste preferences. Putting current fast-food giants out of business is unrealistic, however I do think it is possible to show people that healthy food can be just as good and affordable. I am curious to see if is possible for a restaurant offering healthy, organic food to be as cheap as KFC or McDonald s. This hypothetical business is my way of examining and exploring ways in which we can create healthier communities by using people s existing habits, simply by replacing the types of food available.

6 Works Cited: Bassford, Galloway-Gilliam, Flynn and Morrison. Fast Food Restaurant Report: Promoting Healthy Dining in South Los Angeles. January Community Health Councils Inc September 2012 Canada Restaurant News. Food Service Trends 2012: Healthy, local with focus on kids. (n.d.) 22 September, 2012 Friedman, Roberta and Schwartz, Marlene. (2008). Public Policy to Prevent Childhood Obesity, and the Role of Pediatric Endocrinologists. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 21, Trimarchi, Maria. "What s a food desert?" 09 December HowStuffWorks.com. < 24 September Winter, Rhonda. Public Matters helps to create Sustainable Change 18 March Ecolocalizer.com September 2012