Sage-Tips

Can I grow my own food for my restaurant?

It doesn’t matter where your restaurant is – you have plenty of space for a small herb or vegetable garden. This can mean window boxes, rooftop gardens, or even plants on the fire escape. It doesn’t take very much space to grow fresh vegetables and herbs because just a few planters can be used to grow a wide variety.

Can I sell vegetables to a restaurant?

Local restaurants can be one of the best markets for growers who sell high-quality fresh produce such as salad greens, micro greens, herbs, mushrooms and specialty produce like ethnic or heirloom vegetables. Chefs are willing to pay a premium price if the quality is there.

What is considered farm-to-table?

Farm to table, also known as farm to fork, can be defined as a social movement where restaurants source their ingredients from local farms, usually through direct acquisition from a farmer. Most traditional restaurants get their produce from other parts of the country or around the world.

How do farm-to-table restaurants work?

Farm-to-table is a food philosophy that relies on the flavor and nutritional value of fresh food products that are locally produced. Most farm-to-table restaurants buy proteins, produce, and dairy products from within a predetermined radius around the restaurant, usually 50 to 200 miles.

Can restaurants grow their own herbs?

You’ll need a Producer’s Certificate. While the Health District requires restaurants with herb gardens to have a Producer’s Certificate, they couldn’t say how many restaurants have one.

How do I sell my food to a restaurant?

7 Ways to Sell Your Produce to Local Restaurants

1. Know Your Audience. Scan your local food scene for hot restaurants.
2. Research Hard-to-find Crops. Operating high-end, foodie-centric restaurants is a tough business.
3. Meet Local Restaurant Owners.
4. Devise a Plan.
5. Diversify Realistically.
6. Start Small, Grow Big.
7. Make It Interactive.

Can you sell homegrown produce?

Selling Produce From Home in California You can grow farm produce in most parts of the state without a state permit. If you deliver your own produce to customers or have them pick it up from you, no license is needed to sell fruits and vegetables.

What do restaurants pay for produce?

Local producers can sometimes demand a premium above the wholesale prices that restaurants are used to paying for produce. These premiums commonly range from 5\% to 25\% (and sometimes more) above wholesale market prices.

How do foods get from the farm to our table?

In the supply chain model, the food must be transported through five different suppliers. The food travels from the farmer to a processing center, where that food is collected; then to a regional distribution center and on to the local retailer or restaurant; and then finally to the hungry consumer.

Is farm-to-table healthier?

Farm to table food is healthier than processed and packaged foods. First of all, it’s all natural and many of the ingredients and products are locally grown or raised. Secondly, it probably contains fewer calories, fat, sugar, and carbohydrates than the pre-packaged food you find at the store.

Who owns farm-to-table?

The shop’s owner, Charlene Matthews, said yes, and this is where Meehan mostly grows herbs and some arugula, in a single garden bed just steps from the restaurant.

Is farm-to-table profitable?

With the restaurants and farms having a direct relationship, diners are assured of fresh ingredients on their plates. By sourcing ingredients this way, it’s a win-win for both sides. While restaurants are assured of quality, farmers earn more profits on their goods.

How do you sell fresh produce to a restaurant?

Selling Your Fresh Produce to Restaurants. Local restaurants can be one of the best markets for growers who sell high-quality fresh produce such as salad greens, micro greens, herbs, mushrooms and specialty produce like ethnic or heirloom vegetables. Chefs are willing to pay a premium price if the quality is there.

Should we be buying local or mega-farms?

A recent report found that produce from mega-farms, which grow 80\% of the produce in the U.S, travels 1,500 miles on average from farm to point-of-sale, while locally grown produce travels only 56 miles. Rather than fund 5 mega-corporations that control the bulk of the food industry, we should be buying local.

How do I convince a store to sell organic food?

Let the store owners set prices and the percentage they’ll take; if you don’t like it, suggest something else, but be prepared to go elsewhere. Not to ignore your other two inquiries: Organic certification is generally cost-prohibitive for small growers, but that’s changing.

What are the best markets for local food growers?

Local restaurants can be one of the best markets for growers who sell high-quality fresh produce such as salad greens, micro greens, herbs, mushrooms and specialty produce like ethnic or heirloom vegetables. Chefs are willing to pay a premium price if the quality is there. That’s a lesson learned by Dean Okimoto, owner of Nalo Farms in Hawaii.