Fresh, healthy foods are becoming a bigger and bigger priority in the American consciousness, and fresh food franchises are paying attention.
There are many reasons for this:
- People are concerned about eating quality foods that are good for their health
- Consumers want to minimize their impact on the environment
- Families are busy but no longer think fast food is the answer and want quality nutrition
Yampa Sandwich Co., which has been conscious of feeding adventurous people quality, nutritious sandwiches in portable packages since the very beginning, understands these reasons.
The good news for adventurous investors is Yampa Sandwich Co. is also a fresh food franchise!
WHAT IS A FRESH FOOD FRANCHISE?
So what exactly are fresh food franchises?
A quick internet search doesn’t really define the term. Most of the franchises that call themselves a fresh food franchise are positioning themselves as healthy food franchises.
Many of them also operate in niche categories, with menus that serve only smoothies or power bowls. However, they all have similar boasts to assure customers their foods are of the healthiest varieties, and they can be trusted to serve the freshest foods in the healthiest ways.
Fresh Food Franchises are “Made in-house”
One of the biggest assurances is that the fresh food franchise is making their foods in-house. Particularly if they serve foods that are cooked rather than assembled, like a burger or burritos.
It promises their consumers they have control over the preparation process of the foods and can assure them the foods are as fresh as possible, which fulfills the #1 promise of fresh food franchising.
Prepared in-view
Related to made-in-house, prepared-in-view is another way franchisors can prove to their customers their food is as fresh as possible. If customers can physically see the ingredients are top-quality as their food is assembled, it assures them the food is well and truly fresh. Many of the fresh food franchises are doing this as standard in their franchise locations.
Uses Sustainable Ingredients and Minimizes Carbon Footprint
Since the early 2000s, Americans are increasingly concerned about the environment, climate change, and how we are impacting the future of our planet. We know we have limited time to do better, and that individual efforts aren’t enough by themselves.
Companies, even small businesses like the fresh food franchise, can make a difference by sourcing sustainable ingredients like local produce, responsibly fished seafoods, and humanely raised animals for meats.
Also using packaging materials that are from recycled materials, opening businesses with energy-efficient spaces and kitchens, and minimizing the carbon footprint wherever possible is a priority.
Fresh food franchises may emphasize the food, but the customers want to know about the overall environmental stewardship, and the more that can be done, the better.
Locally-sourced
Another commonality is the ingredients these franchises use are sourced as locally as they can get them. It’s a way to prove the franchise cares about their customers’ community by supporting the growers close by. It also showcases the franchise’s environmental conscientiousness, which is becoming increasingly important to people across America.
CAN A VENDING FRANCHISE BE A FRESH FOOD FRANCHISE?
Not all fresh food franchises are even in the quick-serve restaurant or fast-casual restaurant sector. There are some that reside in the vending space.
At first glance, delivering fresh food to offices sounds like a great idea.
- Relatively captive target audience
- Repeat customers
- Desirable profit margin
However, fewer people than ever are working in offices, and it appears that even after pandemic restrictions are mostly lifted, the corporate landscape of the office worker has been forever changed.
Additionally, vending franchises require owners to go to each client and work to maintain inventory levels, and it can become limiting for space. Scaling up requires a lot of clients or a lot of vending machines, which also means quite a lot of oversight to keep on top of freshness. Vending is more suited to products with a longer shelf life, which doesn’t lend to the fresh movement very well.
HOW A FRESH FOOD FRANCHISE DEFINES ITSELF
Another similarity among the fresh food franchise industry is how many define themselves as “lifestyle brands.” They’re positioned as healthy foods for people on-the-go and foods to feed the soul. Many of them have language, leading customers to believe they’re among the first to shape the fresh food movement since the late 2000s or 2010s.
Energizing the Adventurous Souls
In the meantime, Yampa Sandwich Co. has been the lifestyle brand for adventurous spirits in Colorado since the late 1990s. We’ve filled the healthy requirements of active souls in the Colorado backcountry for over 23 years.
When Peter Boniface and David Pepin came up with the Yampa Sandwich Co. concept, they designed the menu around the perspective of avid backpackers and the outdoor lifestyle of people who wanted a delicious sandwich that would fuel the body as well as the spirit.
The packaging of the menu items was designed, so customers could take their orders out to the river for fishing trips, on bike rides, or on hikes. For two people who love the backcountry as much as Boniface and Pepin, of course, the packaging couldn’t be harmful to the environment or the food.
Because there were no sandwich shops of this quality at the time, the founders also wanted to hit their customers in the taste buds. So the innovative flavors of the Yampa Sandwich Co. menu have always been a priority.
Customers can hit their taste buds with flavors found only at Yampa with ingredients like hot cherry peppers, cranberry chutney, or seasoned stuffing. Or they can go with classic favorites that have roasted turkey, Black forest ham, applewood smoked bacon, and other traditional toppings.
Either way, a Yampa Sandwich Co. experience can be exactly what people need, whether they’re fueling up for a big hike or a big presentation at work.
Yampa Sandwich Co. has been defining the adventurous lifestyle of the fresh food franchise for over two decades, and we’re looking for investors ready for their next adventure, too.
YAMPA SANDWICH CO.: ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FRESH FOOD FRANCHISES
To own a Yampa Sandwich Co., a background in food service or general business management is a plus, but not a requirement. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and intend to own and operate your franchise, get involved in your community, and are passionate about protecting the environment, then we’d love to hear from you.
The investment estimate range to become a franchise owner with Yampa Sandwich Co. is between $295,750 and $527,900 for a single unit. The $25,000 franchise fee is included in this estimate.
Yampa Sandwich Co. is one of the original lifestyle brands to capture the adventurous spirit that permeates Colorado. We’re ready to share that spirit beyond Colorado’s borders.
We’re excited to offer a streamlined fresh food franchise model with tremendous support for our franchise owners. It includes expert advice on site selection, build-out, pre-opening training, on-site support to the grand opening, ongoing support for daily operations, technology tools, and marketing and promotional support.
Yampa Sandwich Co. is more than the average sandwich franchise. It’s a culture, a way of living. It’s a fresh food franchise that investors can be proud to be a part of. Contact us today to learn more!
