Americans become more and more conscious about their health as time goes by, and today, healthy eating is seen as something more of a necessity than a luxury. As a result, healthy-food joints are popping up all over the country, all with one common goal of providing nutritious food to the public as an alternative to the unhealthy options.
If you want to venture into the health food industry, here are several business options that you can consider:
1. Poke bowls
A poke bowl is a dish of raw fish, rice, savory vegetables, and various sauces. It is a native dish in Hawaii, but it is heavily influenced by Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Considering its use of fresh ingredients, omega-3-rich protein, vegetables, and minimally processed carbohydrates, poke bowls are some of the healthiest meals in the food scene nowadays—which accounts for its popularity amongst health nuts.
If you are unfamiliar with this kind of cuisine, buying a fresh-food franchise that serves poke bowls may be the best option for you. Otherwise, you can start from scratch and develop your own unique recipes for poke bowls with respect to the traditional ingredients.
2. Organic food store
An organic food store is, as you guessed it, a store that supplies organic alternatives to both staple and specialty groceries. People who are trying to eat “clean” patronize organic food stores due to the high quality that is inherent in organic food. Furthermore, they are willing to pay more for organic food products than non-organic food in regular retail stores.
3. Vegetarian/vegan food truck
The food truck movement is one of the most interesting things to happen to the food industry. Although the concept of food trucks is nothing new, it has regained its popularity these days from having died down a few decades ago.
Most food trucks serve fast, greasy, and tasty food. The common fare consists of hot dogs, tacos, sandwiches, barbecue, pizza, and grilled cheese. If you’re trying to pursue a healthier route with your food truck, why not offer vegetarian or vegan foods? It can make for a unique type of menu and can attract the exact type of audience you want. And you don’t even have to stray far from the common food truck foods—you can opt to offer vegetarian or vegan alternatives to the crowd favorites.
4. Non-dairy ice cream
People with lactose intolerance, vegans, and those that simply want to cut down on their dairy intake will probably love an ice cream business that specializes in non-dairy ice cream. It is not easy to find non-dairy ice cream in ice cream shops, much less retail stores, so offering this type of unique product can put you at a competitive edge against other similar businesses.
5. Farm-to-table restaurant
A restaurant that sources its ingredients directly from the farm is often seen as a healthier option than restaurants that get their supplies from middlemen or traditional vendors. While this is not always true for all, the notion is that farm-to-table restaurants have fresher, minimally processed, and organic ingredients, and are thus healthier.
However, establishing this type of restaurant system can be tricky; you would have to strike deals with farmers, figure out the logistics, curate a farm-to-table menu, and perhaps even grown your own garden. Nevertheless, it can be a highly lucrative venture when done right, especially if you have a monopoly on this kind of concept in the area.
6. Meal plan and prep service
According to doctors and dietitians, meal planning/prepping is one of the most effective ways to lose, maintain, or gain weight. It helps control portions, reduce impulsive eating, and incorporate more variety into the diet. But not everyone has the time or energy to prepare a week’s worth of meals every time, Also, not everyone has the skills or knowledge to prepare a healthy meal plan.
A meal prep service is one that provides clients with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in prepackaged containers, be it every week, bi-weekly, or every single day. This type of business requires the help of a dietitian to create accurate meal plans based on client’s needs, as well as a delivery service to transport meals to clients efficiently. Depending on your demand, you may also need to rent a professional kitchen and hire a crew to fulfill the orders.
These are only some of the healthy-food business ideas that you can consider for 2021, but they are some of the most popular among the general population nowadays. So if you want to start a food business that does a lot more for people’s health, start forming your ideas with the help of this list.
