Join the BURGERevolution™: The Opportunity is Now

Malibu Avocado Burger

Looking for a hot new menu item that will help your business grow? Actually, you probably have it on your menu already. It’s the veggie burger.

Of course, veggie burgers have been around for a long time. What’s new is the revolutionary way some operators handle them. They give them the bold flavors, on-trend toppings and marketing thrust that make them broadly appealing signature items. They know that a well-made veggie burger speaks to two powerful menu trends – hamburgers and vegetarian food choices – that drive sales and boost participation.

Why Veggie Burgers?

When the Chicago-based research firm Technomic studied burgers in 2011, nearly half of the consumers polled ate a burger at least once a week, a big increase from 38 percent in 2009. Across the foodservice industry, burgers – including a growing number of veggie burgers – are pleasing crowds of customers.

• Some of the fastest-growing concepts of the day are fast-casual “better burger” restaurants like Five Guys and Smashburger that offer a premium burger-eating experience.

• More than 6 million Americans are full-time vegetarians and more than 100 million eat veggie foods occasionally, often called flexitarians, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group.

• College-age and young-adult consumers, the most likely to make vegetarian food choices, will likely eat veggie items for life. In the Technomic burger study, 23 percent of consumers between the ages of 18-34 said it is important for vegetarian burgers to be available on restaurant menus.

How to Maximize Sales with Vegetarian Options

Although veggie burgers are on the menus of more than 80 percent of B&I, C&U and hospital operations, many of them can be made and marketed in a more distinctive fashion to appeal to a broader audience. A basic veggie burger may satisfy full-time vegetarians, but does it have the exciting flavor, trendy ingredients and marketing message to please flexitarians? If not, it will fall short.

Try the following to optimize the appeal of your veggie burger:

• Take a cue from the better burger operators and upgrade all of the elements – bun, cheese, condiments, garnishes, and of course, protein. This excites customers and allows you to charge an additional 20 percent to 30 percent or more over a basic burger, according to Datassential research.

• Use veggie burgers to explore the flavors, ingredients and menu trends of popular Mediterranean, Southeast Asian, Latin American and Southwestern U.S. cuisines.

• Menu creative veggie burgers whenever customers are hungry – breakfast, lunch, dinner and off-hours snacks – and tap them as versatile meatless protein platforms for snack wraps, stir-fries and other applications beyond burgers.

Brand Names Consumers Trust

When it comes to the veggie burger itself, bear in mind that 72 percent of patrons are looking for brand-name veggie foods on the menu, according to Kellogg and PEI Foodservice Research. That’s where Kellogg’s® BURGERevolution™ program comes in. Featuring Morningstar Farms® and Gardenburger® veggie burgers, the number-one veggie food brand portfolio in foodservice and retail, it is a comprehensive solution for B&I, C&U and hospital operators seeking more success selling veggie burgers.

To join the program, complete the online enrollment form at www.BURGERevolution.com to receive the BURGERrevolution™ Tool Kit and product rebate. In addition, you’ll get full access to BURGERevolution.com, including customizable point of sale materials like counter cards, flyers and electronic postcards, as well as burger trend insights, a Build-A-Burger menu-cycle builder and best practices and tips for using social media. You can return to the website for updated recipes and menu ideas throughout the year.

Visit the following links for exciting BURGERevolution™ veggie burger recipes:

• Malibu Avocado Burger
• The Original Gardenburger® Reuben
• Spicy Chipotle Black Bean Breakfast Burger
• Ginger Black Bean Dragon Burger

SLIDESHOW: See all the burgers

To enroll in the BURGERevolution™ program, visit www.BURGERevolution.com.