Innovation

The innovative capacity of Freshii to reinvent "fast food", into a means of ensuring the health of people and the planet, lies in the business model itself.

Freshii conducts every part of its operations with this mission in mind, which is evident in the biodegradable bowls they utilize, the plastic shaker bowls that replace dishwashers and thus conserve water, and the fact that refrigeration is their only use of energy. Additionally, the cleaning products are all natural and eco-friendly, and eco-friendly starches like corn or potatoes constitute the packaging so that only CO2, H2O, and biomass are left post-biodegration. Freshii's business model considers the environmental impact and prioritizes their consumers' well-being in every way it can. Altogether, these examples demonstrate how embedded core principles of the triple bottom line — people, planet, profit — are to all participants.

Franchise owner Juliann elaborated on how all these beliefs are aligned with the culture of Guelph as a “tree-hugging” place that cares about where their products derive from and through what processes. Also, she spoke of how agriculture is so prominent here and how people possess an appreciation for how food should be grown and distributed, making her determine Guelph to be ideal for her franchise.

Inspiration

The basis of the inspiration for Freshii starts with its founder, Matthew Corrin. Corrin went to Western University in London Ontario to study business. After graduating, he moved to New York to pursue a career in the fashion industry, where he drew inspiration from the many different small-time delis in the area. His idea, however, was to change the status quo for restaurants and instead create something that would benefit the entire world. Using start-up money he received from his parents, Corrin started his first restaurant, called Lettuce Eatery, with the goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating while providing food that the customers can enjoy. While the name of this first restaurant has changed to Freshii, its ideals still remain the core of the company, and the franchise still constantly sponsors non-profit charities and does its best to limit its impact on the environment.

After interviewing franchise owner Juliann, it is apparent that Matthew Corrin inspires and promotes his personal ideals with the store owners. Juliann was very passionate about the organization's involvement with Free the Children, specifically Me to We Day, and she mentioned how a portion of the store's profits are donated to this organization through the sale of select menu items. In fact, one of their most popular items, the Oaxaca Bowl, accounts for 10% of the Guelph store's sales and is one of the featured items where a portion of the profits is donated. Through the interview and background research on the company, it is apparent that Matthew Corrin’s original inspirations for the Freshii franchise have not been lost, and these mottos are passed down through the chain of command and are evident in all employees.

Overall impact

The impact of the Freshii business model really influenced how businesses are now starting to operate. They are catering more and more to the consumer and are adapting to our changing society. Another interesting aspect that owner Juliann provided us with was the fact that this business is focused on young employees who are able to provide a "fresh" outlook. With society being overtaken by millennials and Generation Z, it is very important to get the opinions and ideas from our generation first hand. The founder, Matthew Corrin, makes it quite apparent that millennials are the "customization," caring deeply about the triple bottom line — people, profit, and the planet.

With the world evolving on technological level, Freshii has made a business decision to take advantage of this with the option of mobile ordering for individuals on the go as well as paperless marketing. This creates a huge leverage over competitors such as Panera Bread, Cultures, Chipotle, etc., who do not offer this.

In terms of this impact on society, Freshii wants to create fresh, customized items quickly and affordably for energizing people on the go. Freshii’s business goal is to cater and transform food options for people who are interested in a healthy, sustainable, and technological world. More and more people are wanting to live longer lives, whether from eating local, healthy food or shopping at a business that is being environmentally responsible.

In 2013, Freshii was awarded the Top Franchise of the Year in Canada, and is continuing to attract high-quality partnerships worldwide.

The impact Freshii’s business model has on the environment is really revolutionary in today's age. It is creating a quick alternative that is not only healthy but also is benefiting the environment on a daily basis. Freshii lives by their Mission Green. This means taking a stand and being good to the Earth by eliminating traditional industry staples: excess packaging, heavy energy consumption, and greasy processed meals. A few facts about Freshii and their ecological footprint are that everything you take from the store either biodegrades naturally or is recyclable (ingredients include corn and potatoes). They also shake the signature Freshii bowls in a biodegradable bag, stopping them from having to use a dishwasher and reducing their footprint by 5–7 times.

For the long term, Freshii is promoting a sustainable and innovative business through the idea of healthy, affordable, and quick food options. With the overall success of the company’s growth, Freshii has had the opportunity to partner with Free the Children in order to provide school kitchens and vegetable gardens overseas.

Business benefit

Mission Green is the eco-friendly motto by which Freshii lives as well as operates their business. The main goal of Mission Green is to eliminate traditional industry staples like excess packaging and heavy energy consumption by using environmentally friendly products, by reducing the use of electric appliances, and by maintaining a paperless environment.

Freshii advertises a great deal about their use of quickly biodegradable and easily recyclable packaging. All take-out containers are made from corn, potato, and recycled paper fibres, leaving behind only carbon dioxide, biomass, and water. By using biodegradable products, Freshii is benefiting the environment by eliminating the confusion surrounding what products are recyclable. In addition, Freshii only uses eco-friendly, natural cleaning products.

As stated before, Freshii utilizes biodegradable bags to shake costumers' meals instead of tossing them in a bowl. It is said in the Mission Green section of Freshii’s website that this allows them to “produce 5 to 7 times less of a carbon footprint than running even the most energy efficient dishwashers.” By maintaining a mainly raw menu, meaning most ingredients do not need to be cooked, the company is able to have a simple setup in which no energy-hungry dishwashers, hoods, ranges, or ovens are needed. Mission Green also states that as Freshii continues to grow, they are building smaller stores in order to use less materials, use eco-friendlier materials, and consume less energy.

Freshii maintains a paperless environment by using electronic marketing only. In addition to this, they make use of online and mobile ordering. When ordering a salad from Freshii, a clipboard and menu are offered in order to check off all ingredients you wish in your meal. Freshii’s app allows this form of ordering to become obsolete, reducing the use of paper. The app also offers a reward program, giving customers a reason, aside from reducing their eco-footprint, to choose the paperless route.

Social and environmental benefit

Not only is Freshii on a mission to maintain its eco-friendly business status, but it also strives to fulfill its philanthropic goals. In November 2013, the Founder and CEO of Freshii, Matthew Corrin, travelled to Kenya with Free the Children. After returning from his trip and seeing firsthand “the difference that access to safe, healthy food can make,” Free the Children and Freshii announced their partnership. This initiative started with the sale of $5 reusable “green bowls” in which all the proceeds would go towards building school kitchens and vegetable gardens in overseas communities where Free the Children works. Today this initiative, Energize the World, is still alive and well. Select menu items, such as the Zen Salad and wrap, Superfood Soup, Khao San Burrito, and Oaxaca Bowl, donate a portion of their proceeds back to Me to We, previously called Free the Children, in order to continue building school kitchens and vegetable gardens.

Interview

Juliann Riolo, Owner