Farm-to-table fare in on-site eating places is simply one of many ways in which operator Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) is in search of to “disrupt the market” for senior residing.
The Vero Seashore, Florida-based firm has touted serving farm-to-table fare on the menu at its 20 communities in 8 states. The corporate’s cooks use fruits, greens and herbs culled from farms and onsite neighborhood gardens to create fare for residents together with crispy flatbreads and contemporary pasta.
The operator is sourcing the contemporary fare each from connections it has with native farmers and meals producers and the Produce Alliance, which has a nationwide community of comparable relationships. HRA’s farmer connections at the moment vary from an Amish creamery to a worldwide espresso producer that companions with mom-and-pop distributors.
The operator first carried out the concept in earnest a couple of 12 months in the past, in line with Vice President of Hospitality Anthony Polito.
“From my perspective of what I see within the trade, loads of occasions you’ll see farm to desk, however many occasions it’s a advertising alternative for firms,” Polito informed Senior Housing Information. “We’re taking the precise farm to desk philosophy, and actually constructing our complete program round it.”
HRA prefers to rent cooks from nation golf equipment, eating places and motels, who’re seemingly extra used to working with native farmers and different meals producers, Polito mentioned. This system helps HRA meet sustainability targets and help the economic system within the areas close to its communities.
Whereas HRA has a “very wholesome price range” for eating, Polito mentioned. However cooking with farm-to-table substances continues to be less expensive than utilizing pre-made “warmth and serve” dishes, he added.
Having farm-to-table fare on the menu helps HRA showcase its eating choices with new residents, which has helped give the corporate a great return on its funding within the type of move-ins.
“One of many essential issues that they deal with of their day that brings them pleasure and they usually’re in a position to break bread with their households and their buddies is the meals,” Polito mentioned. “Hospitality and the wonderful culinary expertise are what retains folks completely happy, retains folks shifting in and is a differentiator for us inside the market.”
Trying forward, Polito hopes HRA turns into a gold commonplace in terms of hospitality and meals.
“We hope that the concept and the beliefs that we’re bringing to it will unfold, make the trade take one other laborious take a look at how we method meals basically, how we’re producing it and why substances matter,” Polito mentioned. “We hope that that disrupts issues and shakes issues up.”
HRA can also be targeted on income in its eating rooms and venues, a selected focus of CEO Sarabeth Hanson. The corporate views its neighborhood venues equivalent to eating places and spas not as value facilities however as revenue-generating entities.
The corporate additionally beforehand developed the Chef’s Fare Eating Program, which lets residents apply their eating {dollars} towards meals or culinary providers.
