Innovation

This innovation is the brainchild of Mario, who is based in Staten Island. As the owner of Bario’s, Mario has much pride in feeding the local community. This business is doing much for the UN SDGS and a better world. For one, the restaurant promotes good health and well-being. Mario turned to a healthier menu about 10 to 15 years ago. He saw the need for healthier options for his customers, per their suggestion. This is how he came up with the Bario’s healthy café, which had a separate menu. It comes with healthy proteins with carbs and green vegetables. When the vegan movement started to increase in popularity, Mario shifted his business model to align with this movement. The restaurant only uses true vegan products. They are also helping to achieve the SDG goal of no hunger. They have healthy meals on the go for those who cannot make it into the restaurant and they will ship products to you.

Inspiration

Mario was inspired to provide clean and healthy eating to his community. There are not many places on Staten Island that offer clean eating with organic and vegan products. He was also inspired to provide a place where people could come together and bond through food.

Overall impact

Over the long-term, it attracted a new customer base. These changes and new customers overall lead to more revenue and creates new opportunities for Bario's and the customers who eat there.

Another long-term effect was creating a better public perception and reputation for Bario's. This would increase positive word-of-mouth through the customers and overall be a win win for both the customers and Bario's.

All in all, implementing this new healthy menu not only helped Bario's bring in new customers but it is great for the customers who eat there by creating a new way of eating for those who may not have eaten healthy food until then.

Business benefit

As the business started implementing this healthy menu, they were able to increase their revenue by creating new customer relations. This brought in new customers who would have never eaten at Bario's before the implementation. Slowly, by word-of-mouth, more and more people will hear of these changes.

This new implementation also created new products as these food items were not on the menu before they were added. This implementation led to Bario's adding a vegan section of the menu. This not only created new options for those who were trying to eat well but created a new place to eat for those who are vegan. With the additions of the vegan pizza to the menu, those who are vegan and may have never had the option to have pizza, now can. Through word-of-mouth and marketing, Bario's saw an increase of orders to places they never delivered food to before.

By slowly integrating these ways of eating, customers may change their habits of eating forever as they notice that eating healthier will overall make them not only feel healthier but also happier with the decisions they make when eating.

Social and environmental benefit

This innovative pizzeria is beneficial to society. Mario mentioned in the interview how he “recognized the need for healthier options”. The pizzeria now has incorporated a “healthy café menu” which has healthy menu options to incentivize a healthier lifestyle as well as to attract a bigger audience. Mario offers green vegetable, gluten- free and vegan options for his customers. This business is valuable to society because it gives customers the opportunity to eat a healthier version of what they like. By eating at Mario’s pizzeria, customers not only get delicious food but healthy food.

Interview

Mario Rapaglia, Owner