From Junk Food To Health Food: Local Entrepreneur Reinvents The Vending Industry In Chicago

CHICAGO, Nov. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmer's Fridge is breaking the mold on fast food by offering healthy and delicious meals that are made daily and sold in innovative refrigerated kiosks.  The company's first kiosk opened today at Garvey Food Court, 201 N. Clark St., Chicago.  Additional locations are scheduled to roll out in the Chicagoland area this Fall.

Recognizing that a growing number of people want nutritious, healthy and delicious food on-the-go, entrepreneur Luke Saunders launched Farmer's Fridge in Chicago in October 2013.  Farmer's Fridge gives people who are looking for healthy foods a new option: gourmet salads and snacks with the push of a button – via a Farmer's Fridge automated kiosk.

Everything is made fresh each morning and delivered by 10 a.m. to an automated kiosk.  Farmer's Fridge offers foods that provide a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Packaged in recyclable plastic jars, customers can choose from several delicious salad options, as well as breakfast and snack items, each designed to offer various benefits of a healthy diet.  The company follows Environmental Working Group guidelines for using organic ingredients, and buys from local farms when possible, to create nutritious meals that are delicious and satisfying.

Wrapped in beautiful reclaimed barn wood, Farmer's Fridge kiosks aren't just any old vending machine.  Farmer's Fridge automated kiosks combine best-in-class vending technology with a touch-screen design to create an innovative way to grab a healthy meal in mere seconds.  Each machine contains an on-site recycling bin for empty plastic salad containers.  The company also provides catering to businesses in the Chicago Loop area.  Salads start at $7.99 with a weekly special "Jar Du Jour" for $6.99. All salads can be paired with proteins for $2 and salmon for $4. Snacks are $3.   

Farmer's Fridge selections are composed of high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients selected to provide the whole grains, fruits, vegetables, quality proteins and healthy fats needed for lasting fullness.  Each selection is delicious and ensures maximum nutrient-density so that you are energized and feel great.  And unlike some fast foods that are designed to keep you hungry so you will eat more, Farmer's Fridge selections are filling as well as delicious. 

"Finding fresh, healthy food shouldn't be hard.  Sure, you can find healthy offerings at a sit-down restaurant or a grocery store, but people don't always have that kind of time.  I want to make it fast and easy for someone to choose a delicious, nutritious smart meal when they are on-the-go," said Farmer's Fridge Founder Luke Saunders. "What we're doing is taking the vending machine concept and revolutionizing it.  You can now find a truly healthy, satisfying meal at Farmer's Fridge." 

The time is right for this concept: according to a recent Gallup poll, most people understand that they should be making healthier choices.  Seventy-six percent of the 2,027 adults surveyed in July of this year said fast food is "not too good" or "not good at all for you."

Farmer's Fridge has also partnered with SPE Certified (www.SPEcertified.com) to expand its healthy meal options with scientifically-grounded, third-party validation of their merits. SPE stands for Sanitas Per Escam, or Health Through Food in Latin. It's a unique certification company that is defining a new way to eat by enhancing the nutritional quality of meals, without compromising taste. SPE Certified's holistic approach focuses not just on health but on the Sourcing, Preparing and Enhancing of food. Its team of experts includes chefs, nutritionists and registered dieticians who collectively take an innovative and scientific approach to certifying dishes – essentially, giving them their seal of approval – based on a specific set of criteria. So when customers see the distinctive SPE logo (dubbed a "squiggly, red insignia" by The New York Times), they will know those meal options have been properly sourced, are nutritionally balanced and delicious. According to Natalia Hancock, R.D., Senior Culinary Nutritionist at SPE Certified, "This is neither about diet food nor counting calories. It's about enhancing the natural quality of foods and ensuring they taste great."

Highlights of the menu include:

Salads

• Antioxidant Salad - Mixed greens, almonds, mixed berries, carrots, flaxseed, goat cheese and sprouts. Served with white balsamic vinaigrette.
• High Protein Salad - Spinach, corn, peas, pumpkin seeds, figs, broccoli, chickpeas, shredded Parmesan, quinoa. Served with lemon tahini dressing.
• Detox Salad -Kale, fennel, pineapple, sprouts, blueberry, quinoa, white beans. Served with lemon-cider dressing.
• Cheater Salad - Romaine, hard boiled egg, white cheddar, sunflower seeds, roasted corn, carrot, cucumber, tomato and turkey bacon. Served with honey mustard dressing.
• Sushi Salad -Mixed greens, Napa cabbage, avocado, mango, brown rice, seaweed, carrots, cucumber and edamame. Served with Japanese ginger dressing.
• Mediterranean Salad - Mixed greens, artichokes, white cannellini beans, cucumber, tomato, black olives, grated Parmesan, pine nuts and oregano. Served with red wine vinaigrette.
• Salad Verde - Mixed greens, kiwi, apple slices, pistachios, celery, goat cheese. Served with white balsamic dressing.
• Pineapple Sun Salad - Mixed greens, brown rice, sunflower seeds, carrots, cucumbers, golden raisins and goat cheese. Served with pineapple dressing.
• North Napa Salad -Napa cabbage, mixed greens, red grapes, avocado, unsalted pistachio nuts and dried tart cherries. Served with balsamic vinaigrette.

Proteins

• Lemon Pepper Chicken - Chicken breast baked in lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper seasoning.
• Tuna Salad - Lemon-dill tuna salad with minced celery.
• Baked Tofu - Lemon balsamic marinade.
• Poached Salmon - Lemon, cucumber and dill.

Snacks & Sides

• Greek Yogurt Parfait - Greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and local honey.
• Sliced Vegetables and Hummus - Carrots, celery, and cucumbers with hummus.
• Sliced Apple - Mixed apple slices, honey and almond butter.
• Farmer's Salad - Cottage cheese, radish, cucumber, sweet pepper, snap peas, tomatoes, chopped dill.
• Cauliflower Fried Rice- Cauliflower, local peas, carrot, garlic and egg whites.

ABOUT FARMER'S FRIDGE
Farmer's Fridge, a new healthy vending machine concept, delivers delicious gourmet salads and snacks to customers via automated kiosks around the Chicagoland area.  The idea to provide nutritious meals came from Founder Luke Saunders' realization that health-conscious people were struggling to find nutritious meals and snacks that were easily accessible.  Building on that belief, Saunders drew on his background in manufacturing to create an automated kiosk that could dispense healthy food options.  Farmer's Fridge offers people healthy, nutritious foods that are delicious and satisfying in a state-of-the art, innovative automated kiosk.  The salads and snacks are made from fresh ingredients available from local produce vendors.  Farmer's Fridge salads and snacks are handcrafted each morning in a local Chicago kitchen and are stocked daily by 10 a.m.  The company also provides catering to businesses in downtown Chicago. For more information, please visit www.farmersfridge.com.

Media Contact: 
Paramount Public Relations, Inc.
Jessica Prah, [email protected], 312-953-3257
Elizabeth Lewis, [email protected], 312-544-4190

SOURCE Farmer’s Fridge