A growing number of critics blame our “fast-food nation” for many of our physical and social ills, but is it preparing and serving food quickly that is the problem, or is it the execution of the concept with more regard to quantity and low price than to quality and health that is the issue? There’s no doubt that Americans lead fast-paced lives and need to eat while on the go.
The good news is that if two men from Texas have their way with the country, you won’t have to sacrifice your health if you want to drive in for a burger, fries and a shake. Terra Burger and its “Fast Food for the 2lst Century” is now open in two locations in Austin. The budding chain is the brainchild of Don Craven and George Walas, who, separately and then together, asked the question, “Why can’t fast food be all-natural too?”
“For some time, I kept wondering why fast food had to be junk food or garbage food, for lack of a better term,” Don Craven told Organic Connections. “I live two blocks from the Whole Foods corporate headquarters and am pretty much there every day for one thing or another. I was raised on a typical American diet—you know, we ate regular fast food growing up. I’d noticed that in my adult life I had stopped going to those places—probably a subconscious decision because I knew it to be junk food and it only made me feel bad. And I really just started thinking, is there a reason why fast food has to be junk food? Why couldn’t you take a fast-food place and use that model but run all-natural and organic ingredients through it?”
The issue was intensified by the fact that Whole Foods Markets had become bigger than ever, and even traditional grocery chains began stocking organic items.
“It was an idea that sat with me for a while, and it really wouldn’t leave me alone until I started calling around and trying to find somebody who had some experience in the fast-food business who could tell me why it wouldn’t work. And nobody gave me a really good reason. So I was introduced to my partner, George Walas, who had come up with the idea as well on his own, and we said, ‘Let’s try it.’ I’m the financial partner with no restaurant experience, and he’s had 30 years of managing many different fast-food operations.”
A year and a half later, two Terra Burger stores are open, to rave reviews and booming business—in fact, their recently opened second store is doing 50 percent better than projected. “All-natural” is no compromise—if it’s not all-natural, they won’t use it. The core ingredients are not only all-natural but certified USDA organic. The organic list is extensive and includes beef, turkey burger, veggie burger, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, salad mix, salad dressings, ketchup, ice cream, yogurt, milk, white cheddar cheese, butter, eggs, fruit, fruit juices, coffee and syrups, cooking oil, canned soft drinks, tortillas, sausage, bacon and pickles.
The menu features traditional items you’d expect in a fast-food restaurant: burgers, fries, shakes and breakfast sandwiches as well—the difference being you don’t have to worry about chemicals and additives normally associated with such food. And judging by patron reaction, not only is the fare tasty but it leaves you feeling good afterwards.
For those who steer clear of meat or who have gluten allergies, Terra Burger also has vegan and gluten-free offerings.
It was an interesting journey, however, from the supplier side of things and continues to be a learning and building operation.
“Our biggest challenge was probably on the supplier side,” said Craven. “My partner, George Walas, had worked for most of the big fast-food chains, and he basically said that you go to your distributor, they give you your food and you buy it, you prep it and you sell it. Well, we went to the traditional monster restaurant suppliers and they had about a third of what we needed, and they tried to convince us that we really didn’t need to have all-natural butter or organic meat. We realized we wouldn’t be able to deal with the regular distributors.”
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The answer, as they found, was to go out and find smaller “boutique” distributors. Sticking to their all-natural concept, they pieced it together and managed to get Terra Burger up and running. “It’s still not as smooth in terms of operation as we’d like, but all of our suppliers have been very excited and eager to work with us and have been very cooperative, because we’re kind of going up this curve together,” Craven explained.
The sustainability factor doesn’t end with the food either. The construction of the restaurants has been performed with eco-efficiency in mind—for example, using reclaimed wood or bamboo for finishes and recycled concrete and glass for the countertops; building in solar panels to heat water; and recycling rainwater for watering plants. For packaging, no plastic is used that can’t be recycled, and almost half of the plastic items, such as cold-drink cups and eating utensils, are made from biodegradable corn resin. Even the store uniform shirts are made from 100 percent organic cotton.
It would seem that, since Terra Burger has been such a success in Austin, a broader expansion would be in the works. Craven and Walas would definitely like to do that, but they want to ensure that the supply chains will support it. “We’re shoring up our operations, getting all our suppliers in line and making sure that they can handle our volume. We also need to make sure they have regional and preferably national capacity. But we have noticed, in the last year, an increase in supply not only from existing suppliers but from their competitors offering natural and organic items. We think that’s going to be a growing trend,” Craven concluded, “and we’d absolutely love to franchise this concept once we have our costs and supplies nailed down, which we are getting very close to.”
It appears that where there’s a will there’s a way, and Terra Burger is showing that you can still eat a healthy, fast lunch even if you’re in a hurry.
If you live in the Austin area, stop on by—and bring the kids; one of their restaurants has an outdoor playground and shady eating area! Store locations, as well as further information about Terra Burger itself, can be found at www.terraburgeraustin.com.
Another step in the right direction! I am not convinced I’d visit their store instead of making my own fast food at home, but this is really good news for people on the go, those who don’t like to make their own foods, and the rest of us! I wish this and similar companies the greatest success!