fresh&co is committed to providing our patrons with the best food that feeds their bodies in consistently new and creative ways, and in partnering with guest chefs to create limited-time menu items that are in line with trends in healthy eating.
One recent limited-time-only (LTO) success was our ‘420 Menu’.
The 420 Story
‘420’ refers both to the California legislation legalizing medical marijuana, as well as a common street term for cannabis.
fresh&co’s Executive Chef Craig Rispoli partnered with Jeepney’s Chef Miguel Trinidad to create an LTO ‘420 Menu’. Each of our CDB edibles item featured CBD oil (cannabidiol) as an ingredient in the recipe. CBD oil is a reportedly healthy derivative of hemp that does not have the psychoactive ingredient, THC, found in cannabis, but which offers positive effects such as decreased anxiety.
The Chef’s 420 Menu was available for order via our fresh&co app only, and included the Half-Baked Salad, the Blazed Beet Sandwich, and CBD Pink Honey Ginger-ade Lemonade, each featuring various hemp ingredients and 10 – 15 mg of cannabidiol (CBD oil) in each dish or beverage.
While many restaurants are offering CBD edibles, most are on the West Coast where cannabis consumption is more likely to be legal and common. fresh&co blazed (pun intended) the trail on the East Coast with our custom CBD menu from April 12-30, leveraging the narrow window of opportunity that maximized exposure for the menu around the cannabis-lover’s holiday of April 20th (4/20), and before a NYC-wide ban on CBD products in food took effect on July 1st, 2019.
fresh&co 420 In the Press
We marketed our program via press releases, media mailer kits, a 30 second media buy in Times Square, influencer partnerships, our social media channels as well as on our website and via our app where the items could be ordered. Because the menu was so well-received by our patrons, as well as topical and a bit controversial, it was a hit with the public and the press. It was quickly picked up by various media outlets ranging from fast-casual dining sites such as Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, to cannabis-centric media such as Benzinga.com and The Cannabis Radar.com. Many articles featured detailed, inviting descriptions of the menu items that enticed readers to come in and try them for themselves, creating traffic and demand for the menu.
The Franchise Connection
The fresh&co business model of efficient ingredient sourcing and delivery processes allows us to be nimble about offering up new, limited-time menus to our patrons. We are able to create the custom menus, source the ingredients, communicate the techniques for making the items to our stores, and market and publicize the special items on a very tight schedule that allowed us to take advantage of events such as the 4/20 ‘holiday’.
These programs provide significant benefit to the franchisees, as these LTO menus allow our offerings to stay fresh, innovative and on trend. Our national-level marketing trickles down to the franchise operators in increased traffic and awareness of both the brand and of our special and regular menu. This is a benefit we are excited to offer to future franchisees who become part of the expansion the fresh&co brand.
INVEST IN HEALTHY®
Our franchisees benefit from our innovative partnerships and menus, as well as from the marketing programs that build public awareness and sales of our regular and LTO food items. The ideal fresh&co franchise brand partner is committed to freshly-prepared food that is both on the cutting edge of new developments in healthy ingredients, and which incorporates trends in healthful eating.
Ready to learn more about how you can join the fresh&co family and enjoy the benefits of creative, effective marketing programs like this one? If you are interested in opening a fresh&co franchise, contact us today.
