Southwest Foodservice Excellence currently has about 35 plant-based recipes on its menu. | Photo courtesy of Southwest Foodservice Excellence
Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE), a K-12 school food service company with a focus on scratch cooking, just completed a four-week pilot of plant-based meals in nine schools . In this trial, conducted with support from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), food service providers were able to reduce her weight by over 16,300 pounds. Greenhouse gas emissions, according to the statement.
SFE accomplished this by simply replacing two recipes each week with plant-based meals. The pilot program also included training sessions for SFE’s chefs, general managers, and nutritionists. New recipes included healthy, plant-based, and flavorful items such as enchilada bowls, sweet potato and black bean chili, Buddha bowls, and tofu bahn mi bowls.
SFE CEO Monty Staggs said the pilot was a success and customers quickly started using the new recipes. But of course, some diners are hesitant to try something new, so many SFE locations sampled recipes based on the “Flex your Plate” concept.
“SFE developed the ‘Flex Your Plate’ concept to encourage students to try new menu options. This allows students to sample a variety of items before deciding on their meal for the day.” Staggs said.
A big part of the tasting program was sampling recipes and gathering student feedback, he said.
“SFE is committed to gathering student feedback as part of our menu development process. By proactively seeking feedback, listening to our students, and acting on that feedback, we It encourages participation and builds trust. Once that trust is established, students are more open to experimenting and trying new foods that they might not otherwise accept.” said.
Throughout the year, SFE’s culinary team spends time researching trends and gathering customer feedback.
“Feedback from students indicates that they are looking for recipes that reflect the choices and retail experiences they have had outside of school, and plant-based options are a part of that,” Staggs said.
Another way the team is encouraging diners to sample plant-based foods is by marketing ingredients and flavor profiles, rather than simply labeling items as vegan or vegetarian.
“With our new menu items, we found that by focusing on the ingredients and flavor profiles in the recipe names, we were able to increase engagement from students who might not normally choose meatless or vegan options. ” Staggs said.
In addition to intentionally naming recipes, the SFE team promoted the pilot program through cafeteria signage and a social media campaign. Staggs said marketing efforts helped get diners into the program.
“Through our efforts, we found that promoting the environmental benefits of plant-based entrees actually increases student engagement,” he said.
SFE has offered plant-forward freight for many years and will continue to do so, Staggs said. The food service provider is committed to increasing its plant-based products by 10% by 2025.
“SFE serves several neighborhoods with large vegan and vegetarian populations, so offering plant-based options is essential to meeting the needs of the communities in which we operate. At SFE, we are committed to understanding what matters most to our students and the communities we serve, and with each new district partnership, we begin with the voice of our students. listen to,” Staggs said. “They tell us what they like and what they want to see, and we work from there to create a meaningful menu that meets their needs.”
SFE plans to achieve its goal by testing new plant-based recipes in schools across the country. The company currently has 35 plant-based recipes on its menu and plans to incorporate new recipes from the pilot program into some menus in the fall.
