Innovation

Promoting good health and well being is one of the major goals of Lettuce Love. Through their food, they wish to spread a message of self love and love of the planet. The innovative message they provide is that the food we eat provides the rise for flourishing health, vitality and vibrancy just as a seed provides the rise for a vibrant plant.

When we eat vegan, we show compassion toward mother nature and the animals in our world. Lettuce Love believes we can better sustain our world through veganism. Not only does a vegan diet allow for improved health, it reduces our carbon footprint. Livestock farming produces close to 50% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that eliminating meat from your diet can reduce this harmful impact to our world. The World Health Organization has sent a dire warning against animal livestock production for meat due to it not being sustainable. In the hopes to educate and inspire on the many advantages to eating a plant-based diet; each day a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 20 lbs CO2 equivalent, 30 sq ft of forested land, 45 pounds of grain, and one animal’s life. Food is the most powerful tool you have to change the planet. "Our goal is to be able to change the health of the world one salad and one restaurant at a time."

Inspiration

The current owner bought the business in June 2017, it’s been around for 7 years. The inspiration behind starting this business was to focus on the people and the planet. By bringing a strong focus to healthy living, the goal was to educate what effects food has in our world and to our bodies. The current owners actually began as customers and when they saw the opportunity of taking over the business they knew it was something they would be very passionate about. This is considering their own personal struggles with allergies to gluten amongst other things. A combination of health, compassion, specifically toward the animals, and eliminating the carbon footprint, is what inspired the current owners to take on such a influential business.

Overall impact

The overall impact of Lettuce Love is seen through the healthy food options available in their café. The vegan/gluten-free food helps the consumer with day to day health as well as long term health. As stated on the Lettuce Love website, “Plant-based, non-processed foods, rich in nutrients and vitamins have proven to be a decisive factor for improved immune system, cognitive thinking, stronger bones, abundant energy and a reduced risk in most all diseases and illnesses. Studies have shown people reversing their diagnosed illnesses and diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases simply with a plant-based diet.”

Vegan/gluten-free diets are known to be hard to follow because of restaurant norms, where gluten and animal products are almost impossible to avoid. Therefore, for many people who follow these diets, it can be difficult to grab food to go or meet friends for food, as much of their food would be prepared at home. Lettuce Love provides these consumers with a restaurant that is exclusive to their tastes at a reasonable price. However, this café is desirable for all clientele, not just vegan/gluten free eaters, as all of their food is simply healthy. In a society that promotes healthy lifestyles, finding an appropriate diet and navigating the world of nutrients can be daunting – Lettuce Love offers these options in a friendly environment and for a reasonable price. Although the health trend is booming, Lettuce Love is well established and remain trend-setters in the food industry.

Business benefit

This innovation opened and lead the way for a more health conscious food market. Since this company was founded more and more companies have joined this trend of healthier eating. Society as a whole is moving towards healthier, yet faster, options for food. Additionally, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of more food intolerances such as gluten sensitivity – having a business built exclusively around minimalistic food is great at capturing these customers. Although grocery stores and health food stores now carry many products to create these foods at home, Lettuce Love provides food and the experience.

This business was also successfully established before the gluten/vegan trend was really established, allowing them to become stable and gain loyal customers before this trend became popular. This business is also one of a kind, this is the only Lettuce Love location and because of this you always experience a positive and unique experience. The benefits of having a single location is knowing that the owners are closely tied to all business decisions and daily operation. Further, the owners would be responsible for all training, and would ensure that all food preparation was carried out in a way that aligns with their quality standards and the health values of the company. Lettuce Love, in way, reinvented the wheel when it comes to café eating – quick and tasty food does not have to mean unhealthy.

Social and environmental benefit

Lettuce Love prides themselves on producing healthier foods in the café service industry, which was a very unique idea when they opened 7 years ago. Due to their strong following, they have been able to stay above competitors and remain leaders in the vegan/gluten-free food world. In a world where much of ‘fast food’ is unhealthy and full of additives, Lettuce Love offers society a unique experience. As society moves in a more health-conscious direction, it is important for establishments such as Lettuce Love to exist in order to provide vegan/gluten-free eaters a place where they can eat everything on the menu.

Interview

Neven Madzarac, Owner