Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry
By Howard Riell
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No matter the reason – the benefits of whole-
some, more healthful food and sustainable
resources for the optimists, or Mad Cow Disease
and pesticide residue for the pessimists – more
Organic Chemistry
people are choosing organic foods than ever
before. Fueling the growth are rising consum-
er concern about the integrity of the food sup-
By Howard Riell
ply, governmental standards that clearly define
the meaning of the term ‘organic’ and the
greater availability of organic foods through
mainstream channels.
From fruits and vegetables to meat, poultry, dairy, fresh and flavorful, and they believe in the environ-
bread and grains, packaged and prepared foods,
mental benefits of organic foods and helping farmers
desserts, snacks, fish, juices and other beverages,
stay on the land. There is a whole spectrum of reasons,
oils, nuts and grains, restaurants and retail shops are
but I don’t really think it’s just because it’s trendy. It
making organic foods available in record amounts. It isn’t
certainly costs more and takes more inventive sourcing
always easy: prices are higher, sourcing can be difficult,
than conventional foods, so I think there has to be
seasonality is an issue, and shelf lives are briefer than
some commitment there.”
usual. But who ever said giving patrons what they want
There appears to be. “This is a huge initiative in res-
was supposed to be easy?
taurants at this time,” says Karen Malody, FCSI. “One of
Organic food “is booming on restaurant menus, par-
the clients I am now working with, a natural hamburger
ticularly among chefs who have what I would call, an
concept, is specifying only organic produce even for its
orientation toward sustainability,” says Elaine Lipson,
burgers. The public wants it, and I think restaurateurs
Organic Program Director for New Hope Natural Media in
have been primary drivers of this phenomenon. Foodser-
Boulder, CO, and the author of the biennial Packaged Facts
vice has driven the trend out into retail. Though some
report, U.S. Market for Organic Food and Beverages (2004).
still question it, I believe, after endless side-by-side com-
Many of the best chefs today are supporting or-
parisons, organic produce, or for that matter organic
ganic and local foods, Lipson notes. “Quite honestly,
anything, absolutely does taste better.”
I think many of them are doing it because the food is
According to the National Restaurant Association’s
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Organic Chemistry
Top left: Baskets of organic produce at an organic food fair. Top right: New organic products on display at the 2006 All Things Organic
show presented by the Organic Trade Association. Bottom left: An organic producer from Stratford sells his products in Coventry’s
central market in the UK. Bottom right: The All Things Organic Show draws hundreds of visitors. Centre: Certification logo for New
Zealand organic farmers.
2005 Restaurant Industry Forecast, 46 percent of family-
highest growth rates, but more and more governments
dining restaurant operators, 39 percent of casual-dining
all over the world are discovering organic agriculture as
operators and 48 percent of fine-dining operators report
a chance to develop the agricultural sector for the future
more orders for organic items now than they did two
and address environmental and social problems.
years before, according to Annika Stensson, the associa-
tion’s manager of media relations.
What Organic Is, and Isn’t
Restaurants that focus on organics often do their own
‘Organic’ is a production claim, not a food safety or content
shopping at the local farmers’ market, says Stensson,
claim. The term refers to the way in which food is grown
“indicating careful selection and top quality produce,
and handled. As a concept, it does not govern whether or
selected by the chef himself or herself. This adds to the
not the food is safer or healthier than non-organic food.
draw of organics, as it indicates careful preparation and
Despite that, consumers have embraced the term as signi-
the uniqueness of recipes.”
fying foods that are better for them or their families because
This growth is far from simply an American phenom-
organically-produced foods do not include the use of
enon. The world organic market exceeded the $30-billion
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or hormones.
mark last year, estimates Amarjit Sahota of the British
In October 2002, the USDA established a set of na-
corporate consultant Organic Monitor, up about $2 billion
tional standards that define and govern the use of the
year to year. North America and Europe are showing the
term “organic,” with respect to food products grown
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Organic Chemistry
Working with Organic
Chef Rolf Baumann, CEC, Corporate Chef
at Delaware North Sports Service in Buffalo,
NY, recommends some things to keep in
mind when working with organics.
He suggests keeping a different part of
the walk-in for organics. “It’s almost like
having a kosher kitchen area. You also need
to have the documentation. You save that
in case somebody actually wants to see it;
and they do ask.”
Sourcing organics is “not as difficult in
2006, but it depends on what region you’re
in,” says Baumann, who oversees 22 venues
around the country. His accounts in Milwau-
kee, for example, find it “very difficult” to
source organic items. “What we do is strike
up a friendship with the local farmers who
do organic stuff. If not, we have a national
(distributor) with a list.”
On that list, organic meats are likely to be
15 to 20 percent more per pound, he says.
A farmer at Portland’s farmers’ market in Oregon reminds his customers that the
Poultry is a little less expensive “because it’s
produce he sells is fresh, locally grown and sustainably produced.
more of a standard industry at this point.
Produce is still high. In California it’s 5 to 10
percent more, but in the Midwest you’re go-
in the U.S. and abroad. According to the standard, to be considered or-
ing to pay 20 percent more.” Dairy products
ganic, foods must be produced without conventional pesticides; fertil-
are about 10 percent higher.
izers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; hormones; bio-
Organic meats tend to be richer and more
engineering or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “or-
flavorful, but can dry out faster, says Bau-
ganic,” a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food
mann. He recommends doing some extra
is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to
brining or using marinades to put more mois-
meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process or-
ture into it. Organic produce is “a lot more
ganic food must also be certified.
delicate, obviously, because it’s not gassed,
In the last 10 years, the demand for organic foods has doubled, and is
and the shelf life is probably half that of
expected to more than double again, increasing from just under $11 billion
in 2004 to more than $30 billion by 2007, according to Packaged Facts, a
something else.”
producer of syndicated market research. While organics represent only
about 2 percent of sales in both retail and foodservice channels, the group
says this share is expected to increase. And while foodservice currently
represents only about 4 percent of organic sales, use of organic products
in U.S. foodservice is increasing by an estimated 20 percent annually. In
fine dining, almost two-thirds of respondents reported that they already
offer an organic menu.
Europe Integrating Organic
The market for organic foods is “growing fast” in Europe, though “mainly
through the retail channels,” reports Marianne Wacholz, an editor with Food-
service Europe & Middle East magazine based in Frankfurt, Germany. “The
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Organic Chemistry
This bakery offers wholesome breads and baked goods made with organic flours. Their stand at the Portland Farmers’ Market regularly
sells out despite their higher-than-supermarket prices.
buzzword is not healthiness but rather wellness. This ho-
sell 80 percent of all organic food and drink, he adds,
listic thing, you know: ‘good for me.’ In terms of foodser-
although this accounts for only 1 percent of total food
vice, there are only few ‘organic’ concepts in Germany.”
and drink sales in the UK. The demand is being driven
Instead, she adds, “you find foodservice operations
through the retailers at present, “not through foodser-
integrating organic ingredients, for example the multiple
vice operators,” Doughy reports. “The factors behind
foodservice operation at Volkswagen’s Autostadt in Wolfs-
the trend are the familiar concerns of healthy diet,
burg which is run under Mövenpick management, or the
provenance of food, taste and sustainability. These issues
Fresh Flow restaurants within the foodservice portfolio
are constantly in the popular media, but there is also
of Karstadt warehouses – 11 big outlets where everything
confusion between labels given to food such as free
is made under the customers’ eyes from scratch.” In
range, organic, wild and sustainable.”
other European countries, most notably France and the
Organic food products are found in the UK foodservice
UK, she notes, “you’ll find more new-generation, fast-
market, explains Doughty, “but it is still a niche market
food/fast casual concepts like Pret A Manger banking on
for purely organic restaurants. These tend to be individ-
organic produce.”
ual restaurants, or part of a small group such as Planet
The UK is the third-largest organic market, behind
Organic, Pizza Organic and Natural Café.”
the U.S. and Germany, worth over £1.12bn ($1.85 bil-
lion) a year, says Jonathan M. Doughty, FCSI, Group
‘Springing Up’ In Canada
Managing Director for Coverpoint Catering Consul-
“Organic is big (and) lots of new restaurants are springing
tancy Ltd. in Reading, United Kingdom. Supermarkets
up all over,” reports Stan Pyne, FCSI, CFSP, CPSA, man-
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Organic Chemistry
ager of food facilities planning for Hirschberg Design
Costs are somewhat lower overall for these restaurants,
Group, Inc. in Toronto, Canada. “Some of them are,
Pyne says, since kitchens don’t need to be as large. “Sourc-
unfortunately, seasonal and closed for the winter. How-
ing is not a problem here. Toronto is such a multina-
ever, that does not deter others from going into business.
tional city that there is a great abundance of fresh produce
It seems like mostly the ethnic population that tends to
available.” A wealth of organic eateries has sprung up in
run that way, with a smattering of European.”
Toronto, according to Lipson, including Campos; Organi-
clicious, a sandwich shop serv-
ing organic sandwiches; Tre-
Fontane, a vegetarian, all-you-
can-eat Italian buffet; Radical
Roots, a vegan-run student café;
and Happy Buddha and An-
napurna, two new full-service
vegetarian restaurants.
“Like the wild salmon move-
Franklin Machine
ment of a few years ago, more
organizations are looking at
organics and non-GM foods to
differentiate themselves from
their competition,” says Allan
Dieckmann, FCSI, senior man-
ager of hospitality services for
the SmartDesign Group in
Vancouver, Canada. “People
seem willing to pay for the dif-
ferent experience.”
Ahead
Clearly, organic food isn’t going
away. “There will continue to be
an increase in organic because
of customer demand,” says Eric
Giandelone, editorial manager
at Technomic. There is, how-
ever, “a ceiling because of the
supply and willingness of what
customers will pay.” Organic
will be seen less in limited-ser-
vice restaurants, of course, be-
cause “customers have a value
expectation and are less willing
to pay the higher price.”
But more customers than
ever are willing to pay more,
making this one trend that is –
ironically – highly sustainable.
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