Organic for urgent
If you are unlucky enough, you will only find room in the queue in front of the to-go counter during your lunch break. The opening of the first branch of the organic fast food chain "nat. Fine organic food" in Hamburg's city is a complete success. The second branch in the port city is soon to follow and in the medium term Jan Rosenkranz, founder and managing director of "nat. Fine bio food", plans to open up to fifty branches throughout Germany.
Picture gallery: healthy food in style
Free course for fair citizens
An ambitious goal, but in the growing frenzy of the organic industry, it was probably only a matter of time until the trend towards healthy food - seasoned with a clear conscience - also conquered the fast food scene. It is noticeable that the guests wear Gucci bags rather than jute bags with anti-nuclear print. No wonder, because the snacks offered are light years away from brittle patties on gray bread rolls or tofu pans, which make one on bratwurst.
Fast but stylish
"Entrecôte vom Holsteiner Rind mit Senf Schmand-Dip and Salsa verde" would be more likely to be on the menu of a gourmet restaurant than an organic fast food chain with a to-go counter. For starvation there are salads and soups, which can be ordered in different portion sizes. And everything is made from organically produced ingredients from the region. The term "fast food" is almost misleading, but it lives up to its original meaning: Even at peak times, you can order, eat and pay in no more than forty minutes. A hot meal with a drink is available from about 8 euros, which corresponds to the price range of a Mc Donalds Maxi menu.
Does enjoyment pay off in green?
According to Rainer Roehl, (managing director of the consulting firm "a'verdis"), 10 euros are usually a pain threshold. Hardly anyone wants to fork out a double-digit amount despite the growing awareness of quality - organic or not. With 30 to 100 percent additional costs for the ingredients compared to conventional goods a real challenge for the organic gastronomy.
Inspirations from yesterday and today
What was once a matter of course for housewives is now worth gold in the green gastronomy: the menu of "nat. Fine bio food" is redesigned four times a year, so that only seasonal ingredients can be used. Naturally, they are cheaper than fresh greens that have to be ranged from the other end of the world. In addition, Jan Rosenkranz relies on the logistics of classic system catering. He has all the food prepared in an outsourced canteen kitchen and then refrigerated delivered to the restaurant. Where necessary, they are heated briefly at the open kitchen counter and freshly prepared. The more branches are served from a central kitchen and the more dishes go over the counter every day, the sooner the whole thing pays off despite lower profit margins. "Organic for all" is the motto, healthy but enjoyable and far away from the ideological hardliner niche. A direction that has already led to the establishment of organic food in "normal" supermarkets to success.
"High five" in the capital
The idea of fast but high-quality food made from organic ingredients does not just thrive in Hamburg. The organic fast food chain "Gorillas" from Berlin has already opened its fifth branch in the capital in the spring. At the end of the year, the managing directors Matthias Rischau and Dr. Ing. Venture the step from the Spree to the Elbe and then in Hamburg's urban jungle with monkey-like creations such as "beetroot soup with mung bean sprouts and horseradish" or "Arabian cakes with lentil, avocado and fresh vegetables of the season".
Tasteful for the eye
The fast-food restaurants of the 21st century are not only based on culinary delights, but also on stylish ambience. The "Cosmogrill" in Munich was even awarded the prestigious "red dot design award". The store on Maximilianstrasse specializes in Edelburger and attracts night owls on weekends until six o'clock in the morning with delicious midnight snacks such as "Bison Burger on Orange Dijon Mustard with Arugula, Dried Tomato and Red Onion Rings". The meat comes from happy cattle and the homemade sauces are made from organically grown ingredients. Vegetables are bought at surrounding organic farms and at the Viktualienmarkt. From the latter comes also conventional goods, but the proportion of organic ingredients is so high that the "Cosmogrill" probably will be able to decorate this year with the Biosiegel.
And that is just the beginning
According to Rainer Roehl of "a'verdis", however, the industry is only in the starting blocks. He expects that in terms of organic fast food in the next few years will do a lot.In addition to new concepts, established chains will be unable to escape the trend towards ecological products. The first tentative signs of this can be found on the beverage board of the fast-food dinosaur "McDonalds", on which now also has organic milk her firm place.
The furniture store as a market leader
Incidentally, the largest provider in the field of organic gastronomy is currently the furniture chain "Ikea". Around one million organic dishes are being raised on the bar each year and already account for around eight percent of sales in the catering sector - and the trend is rising. The future of the fast meal clearly shimmers in the green light ...
