FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2018
For Information, contact: Jessie Arnold, PPC Project Manager: (704) 412-4506 X 110
THE PPC RESTAURANT CAMPAIGN HITS 70+
Nonprofit Group Promoting Healthy Dining Reaches Key Milestone
The nonprofit organization, PlantPure Communities, today announced that over seventy restaurants are now part of the PlantPure Communities Restaurant Campaign. Restaurants in 16 states with a wide range of cuisines are participating — including Asian, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian and American. The Campaign responds to the growing demand from health conscious diners seeking plant-based, oil-free menu options when dining out. Restaurants that participate are finding that healthy meal options are good for their bottom line. This is reflected in the recent trends and statistics which show that the interest in plant-based protein and meat alternatives is going mainstream and that the appeal of plant-based healthy meals goes even beyond those who choose a meatless diet.
By working with local nonprofits, governments, businesses, and other health and community-based organizations, PlantPure Communities (PPC) is building stronger, healthier, more sustainable communities. The goal of the PPC Restaurant Campaign is to get every restaurant, around the country and the globe, to offer at least one plant-based, oil-free meal on their menu. The PPC Restaurant Campaign is being driven by the 100,000+ people connected to the PlantPure Communities Pod Network. The 500 groups (also known as Pods) that comprise the Pod Network are the backbone of the global plant-based movement that is led and supported by PPC.
As part of the Restaurant Campaign, Pod members venture out into their favorite restaurants to collaborate with chefs and restaurant managers to promote the addition of plant-based, oil-free options to their menus. The Campaign is supported by a virtual online toolkit which contains tips on how to approach a restaurant, how to adjust the menu, and how to ramp up business via social media and local press. Participating restaurants are added to an interactive map on the PPC website and PPC subscribers living within 50 miles of the restaurant are notified of the new healthy meal options, and are encouraged to dine there with family and friends. In addition, participating restaurants are spotlighted in PPC e-newsletters and social media platforms.
“The Restaurant Campaign is gaining traction, as more restaurants are aligning their menus to connect with the country’s eating trends,” said Jody Kass, PPC Executive Director. “Offering plant-based, oil-free dishes to customers is simply good for business,” she said. Kim Anderson, co-leader of the Providence, RI Pod and a member of the PPC Advocacy Council said, “It’s powerful when restaurants add healthy plant-based meals and are financially rewarded by doing the right thing, while giving plant-based eaters local options, in many cases for the very first time!”
Darlene Yanakos, a member of the PPC Advocacy Council from Pittsburgh said, “It’s so exciting to watch a great idea turn into tangible change in dozens of communities. PlantPure Communities is right on the mark as every day more millennials are embracing plant-based foods. A trip to the local supermarket where plant-based milks are squeezing out cow’s milk for shelf-space shows the power of this shift toward plant-based foods.”
Pointing to the National Restaurant Association’s report that “70% of adults say the availability of healthy menu options would make them choose one restaurant over another,” PPC Board member, Jim Courage, said: “there is strong and growing momentum — now is the right time to push this national & global change campaign.” Kyle Ash, Director of Government Affairs, at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) said, “PCRM applauds PPC and the restaurants that are participating in the PPC Restaurant Campaign. The country is moving in this direction, and the plant-based movement is not slowing down.”
The 70+ restaurants participating in the PlantPure Communities Restaurant Campaign include three chain restaurants, a food truck, several pop-ups, a college campus, and many more. Florida, New York, Texas, and Nevada, each have 5 or more restaurants that have earned Certificates of Participation, with Florida leading the way at 20 participating restaurants. Amy Tasetano, the superstar Pod leader who spearheaded many of the Florida restaurants said,“Navigating restaurant menus when you eat a plant-based diet can be challenging. The PPC map with links for participating restaurants is a valuable tool, allowing people to easily locate restaurants offering healthy meal options. Restaurants that make the menu change and participate in the Campaign deserve recognition and patronage,” said Amy.
“The restaurant industry is changing – because American consumers are changing. More people are waking up every day to the realization that they can take control of their health and reverse their heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illness – just by changing what is on the end of their fork. While restaurant industry trends are always evolving, healthy plant-based dishes are here to stay!” said Nelson Campbell, PPC Board Chair and Founder.
To find out more about the PlantPure Communities Restaurant Campaign, visit this webpage and check out the Restaurant Campaign Toolkit and the interactive map listing participating restaurants.
###