Locavore: meaning and movement

We've published other articles about the health trend that is here to stay and what this change means for our sector. Today, we're going to focus on a movement within this larger trend that’s particularly exciting for restaurants: the Locavore movement. Are you familiar with this concept? Do you apply it to your business? 

What is a locavore?

First things first, what is a locavore? The locavore definition refers to a person who chooses to consume food produced within a distance of less than 150 kilometres and prefers artisanal methods. The term gained traction in 2005, when San Francisco-based food businesses launched a challenge under that name encouraging participants to eat only local food products for a month. Over the years, everything from locavore beer breweries to locavore fine-dining restaurants has popped up all over the globe. 

Today, the Locavore market is thriving, with more consumers growing their produce, buying kilometre 0 products and favouring locavore restaurants that embrace this philosophy. Besides offering a competitive advantage, using local ingredients can bring a myriad of other benefits to your restaurant. 

How to start a locavore restaurant

If you’re eager to jump on the bandwagon and join the Locavore movement, there are some key steps to take to ensure your restaurant is well-prepared.

First of all, it’s important to define your vision for a locavore menu by considering how you can highlight local ingredients in your dishes. Do your research to ensure your restaurant’s offerings align with the movement’s values of sustainability and local sourcing. 

The next crucial step is searching for and getting in contact with local suppliers. A good place to start is to connect with farmers markets, regional food co-ops and agricultural organisations in your area to identify potential sources of local produce. It’s a good idea to visit these businesses in person so you can begin building relationships and rapport with them. 

Establishing strong relationships with local suppliers is vital if you want to succeed in the locavore restaurant business. Engage in open communication, identify your locavore menu needs and explore any other avenues for collaboration. This will ensure a steady supply of high-quality produce and help to foster a sense of community that will resonate with your customers. 

Challenges of the locavore movement

Adopting the Locavore movement in your restaurant also presents some significant challenges. One of the main hurdles a locavore restaurant may experience is the seasonality of local products. Conventional supply chains can offer a consistent source of ingredients year-round, whereas local sourcing often means having to deal with fluctuations in availability. 

Another potential challenge is the increase in costs that operating a locavore restaurant may incur. For instance, local ingredients are often more expensive due to smaller-scale production the logistics involved with short-distance distribution and having a smaller customer base. To overcome this challenge, locavore restaurants may have to adjust their pricing strategies or find other, innovative ways of managing costs while maintaining the integrity of their locavore principles. 

Benefits of the locavore movement for restaurants

Unique flavours

A locavore restaurant regularly receives the freshest, most recently picked products, from farm to table. This means your ingredients are more pure in terms of nutrients and flavour, which makes a big difference in the quality of the dishes you prepare with them and offer to your customers.

This means that although your competition may offer similar dishes, they will taste different. Cooking with fresh ingredients also allows you to create flavours that vary based on what nature and the earth have to offer at different points throughout the year, meaning that, for example, the same tomato-based dish can have different intensities and nuances of taste depending on the harvest. If your customers are aware of this, they'll love being able to re-discover the restaurant's dishes over and over again. 

Natural Variety

Another advantage of cooking with local products is that they change depending on the season, meaning chefs can adapt their recipes to the produce of the day. The result is a dynamic menu that changes depending on what's in season, rather than a menu that remains monotonous throughout the year. This may also pose a challenge for the kitchen staff, as they'll need talent and creativity to create the best dishes on a changing basis. Of course, rising to this challenge also allows the restaurant to stand out for its originality and achievements.  

Increased loyalty

A varied offer also piques customers' curiosity and keeps them coming back to the restaurant to discover new recipes and flavours again and again. That's why locavore restaurants enjoy greater customer loyalty. The transparency regarding the food that's on offer also generates trust that exceeds customers' expectations, so they prefer to return to the same establishment, where they can be sure to get what they need, rather than improvise or take a chance on other restaurants. 

That's why it's important to offer the most personalised service possible in a locavore restaurant, to offer potential clients total satisfaction and ensure tables are always filled.  

Good profitability

The fact that clients are paying more attention to their eating habits and to their impact on the environment often means they are willing to pay more to eat in a locavore restaurant. This means that you can better value your products and make a profit from them. 

Restaurant owners always appreciate being able to offer wonderful cuisine and charge the right price for it, without feeling pressured to lower quality to maintain their profit margins. Cooking locally allows you to negotiate favourably with producers in your area, create delicious recipes and rest assured that guests are happy to pay the price because they appreciate the quality.  

Good reputation

When it comes to marketing, using fresh products has always been synonymous with high quality for restaurants. It also creates an image of an establishment that is committed to sustainability and will do what it takes to ensure it. It also says a lot about the efficiency and creativity of your team. All of which translates into an excellent reputation. 

The image customers have of a locavore restaurant is that of a business that cares about serving more nutritious, healthy food and offering customers the best available products for a unique dining experience. That's why it's very important to promote this feature of the restaurant on social media, reservation platforms and other digital channels to enhance your reputation and boost visibility. 

Long-term benefit

The health trend is guaranteed to keep growing. As consumers continue to shift their habits towards sustainability, industries will follow suit. Therefore, running a locavore restaurant that uses organic products, applies energy-saving measures, recycles and is socially committed means you’ll be leading the way. Investing in these changes now positions your restaurant ahead of the curve and will pay off with significant long-term benefits. 

So we encourage you to get to know your local producers, form strategic partnerships, get familiar with the best prices, and forge social and business relationships that benefit both sides. Your customers and the environment will thank you. 

A tool like TheFork Manager helps you manage your client database and personalise your service, allowing your restaurant to stand out from the competition. Whether you align with the locavore philosophy or something else, our solution can help guarantee the success of your business.