For the past 5 years, the National Restaurant Association has highlighted the local food movement as one of its top 10 trends. The concept has been gradually embraced by culturally-conscious restaurants far and wide, and its momentum is only growing.

1. Are You Ready for the
Locavore?

2. www.MissionRS.com 2
NRA What’s Hot? 2015: Top Food Trends1
:
1. Locally-sourced meats and seafood
2. Locally-sourced produce
3. Environmental sustainability
In restaurants, diners, cafés and bars around the country, one question is being asked:
“Where is your food from?”
Concerned with the environmental and social impact of large modern farms, many diners
have turned to locally-sourced food.
For the past 5 years, the National Restaurant
Association has highlighted the local food
movement as one of its top 10 trends. The
concept has been gradually embraced by
culturally-conscious restaurants far and wide,
and its momentum is
only growing.

3. www.MissionRS.com 3
Looking to participate in the local food revolution? Want to bring the locavore to your
table? We’ve got 4 steps to take your restaurant to the next level.
3. Plant a garden
1. Tell a story
2. Understand obstacles
4. Make a connection

4. www.MissionRS.com 4
1. Tell a story
“This food…has a story to tell. It has a journey. It leaves a footprint.”
—Joel Salatin, farmer and author
One of the most appealing aspects of locally-sourced food is its ability to
tell a story. Telling the story of your menu doesn’t have to be complicated:
the key is to give your guests a window into the creation of your food.
There are several reasons stories pair so well with menus:
• Retelling your story gives your diners another reason to talk about your
establishment.
• Your story is a unique “ingredient” that no other restaurant can duplicate.
• Humans are wired to emotionally connect to stories—we can’t help it.
Telling a story helps diners make an emotional connection to your food.

5. www.MissionRS.com 5
2. Understand the Obstacles
“The concept of being a locavore, or one who chooses whenever possible to incorporate
locally grown or locally produced food into one’s nutrition plan, is of great importance.”
—Tyler Florence, Food Network host
Chipotle Mexican Grill made headlines in early 2015 as sourcing issues
prevented the restaurant from serving its “Responsibly Raised” pork option.2
The incident highlights an ongoing issue in the local food conversation—
reliability. Under the regionally-sourced model, natural and economic forces
have a more drastic impact on the availability of some ingredients.
Restaurants looking to add local menu items must be prepared for the
possibility of supply interruptions. Another factor: while the USDA has
proposed an increased rate of food safety audits, ensuring that suppliers
follow good agricultural and handling practices is another responsibility
for restaurateurs. With some planning and foresight, most issues can
be avoided, and any interruptions in availability can begin a positive
conversation about the awesome origins of your local menu items.

6. www.MissionRS.com 6
3. Plant a garden
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
—Audrey Hepburn, actress and humanitarian
Literally, plant a garden. The Sustainable Restaurant Association calls it
“hyperlocal sourcing,”3
and it’s another growing component of the local food movement. Taking
sourcing into their own hands, many restaurants have discovered that going hyperlocal helps to
avoid the less-predictable nature of sustainable sourcing.
Creating an on-site garden doesn’t take much space:
One last bonus:
It’s hard to get much fresher than
ingredients harvested the same
day they’re served.
1-year yield for a well-maintained 1 m2
(11 ft2
) garden4
200 tomatoes
216 heads of lettuce
40 cabbages
300 onions

7. www.MissionRS.com 7
4. Make a connection
“Local food is about getting the freshest and best-tasting food. It’s also about connecting to
and strengthening your community.”
—Anna Lappé, sustainable food advocate
Adding local ingredients to your menu means connecting to the
people who produce them. These suppliers become your partners,
and your mutually-profitable relationship will likely become a source
of plenty of free word-of-mouth advertising.
Looking to make a connection? The USDA, as well as sites like
Eatwild and LocalHarvest, provides listings and resources to help
find suppliers and farmers markets near you.

8. www.MissionRS.com 8
We’d like to suggest a 5th step, too:
Consider partnering with Mission Restaurant Supply.
Flourishing in the local food revolution takes energy and
focus, and having an experienced partner for equipment and
supplies can help you spend time on providing great food.
MissionRS.com is known nationwide for our dedication to
extraordinary customer service, a family-like atmosphere,
and strong commitment to the industry. Our team is
comprised of restaurant supply and equipment experts
that are focused on our customer success. Long term
relationships and customers have helped us grow, and we’re
committed to continuing that personal service. From our
website to our stores to our team, we aim to provide the best.
We look forward to serving your supply needs,
The MissionRS.com Team
1-877-693-0951
Learn more about our history
and why we value partnerships
Paul Luis Christina Sandy Joel
Visit Our Online Store
Sources:
1
http://restaurants.about.com/od/menudesign/a/Local-Food-Trends-For-Restaurants.htm
2
http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/News-Research/WhatsHot2015-Results.pdf
3
http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/greenercities/en/microgardens/index.html
4
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/04/16/chipotles-carnitas-crisis-wont-last.aspx