We are excited to announce that our panel “Occupy Your Meal” was accepted into the SXSW 2017 program!!

And yes, we are STOKED yet humbled to share so much of what we’ve learned this year working with a variety of clients and partners, including Snappy Salads, a fast casual chain of eleven restaurants, the Texas Department of Agriculture, the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) and urban farm Nectar.

So What is “Occupy Your Meal”?  The food industry is going through a revolution. No longer are consumers satisfied with fast food, processed foods or irresponsible growers that are mass producing cheaply and irresponsibly. We will explore how socially conscious growers and restaurateurs are changing the outlook of the fast casual restaurant industry one bite at a time.

Questions we will address:

1. What should consumers look for in growers and restaurants to ensure they are supporting companies that care about long term sustainability?
2. What new trends, including the emergence of urban farms are happening to improve all Americans are served REAL food?
3. What can consumers do in their respective communities to play an active role in the “Occupy Your Meal” movement?

Panelists:
Chris Dahlander is CEO and founder of Snappy Salads. He has a simple goal: Provide the highest quality ingredients, in awesome salads, soups and wraps, all in a place with a cool vibe. He walks the talk and we’re eager to get the word out. From sustainably grown tomatoes that come from Ft. Davis and olive oil from California Olive Ranch to the reclaimed wood he uses for every table in his restaurants, his company is the embodiment of the”Occupy Your Meal” movement.

Lawrence Williams of the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC)  provides incentives, programs and tools to increase the production and consumption of healthful and sustainable foods, such as Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Certification for the food and foodservice industry.

Imran Charania, founder of Nectar,  an urban farm with an integrated fresh food delivery service.

Check out our submission video and our slideshare presentation.

As part of our collaborative process, we’ll also be implementing a series of questions to get your feedback on what you think is missing in our food industry.

Stay tuned and thank you all who have supported us along the way.

#OccupyYourMeal #EatResponsibly #ResponsibleDining