Sandwich Me In: Sustainability at its Core
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Image from Gastronomie Guide
So… there is this one tiny restaurant in Chicago that creates sandwiches.
And salads.
And most importantly, shared value.
Upon reading the Harvard Business Review article on shared value, I immediately thought of this video that went viral last year, featuring the sustainability driven restaurant Sandwich Me In.
Unlike other restaurants, which claim to be sustainable, perhaps by offering one line of dishes, made with locally grown ingredients in order to suit the environmentally conscious consumer’s preferences, Sandwich Me In has placed sustainability at the core of its business. This entails:
– Composting and recycling practices
– Zero waste
– Menu made up of completely locally sourced ingredients
– Used cooking oil used as bio-fuels
– Wind-generated energy to power the restaurant
– Used and refurbished equipment and furniture only
– Sponsors local school environmental clubs and garden projects
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“For me it’s not a money issue. I’m looking at this more widespread. If I don’t do this now, it’s not going to be done.” – Justin Vrany, Founder and Chef at Sandwich Me In Image from Biz Energy/YouTube
We see that by deeming sustainable practices as a core value for the business, Sandwich Me In has been able to grow with greater purpose and direction. The farms that it builds supplier relationships with, the wind-power company as its partner, the reduced costs as a result of zero waste… all are comparable to the strategic decisions of a regular company that seeks to expand and become profitable. Yet, the difference here is the shared value. And in the words of Michael Porter, “shared value focuses companies on the right kind of profits—profits that create social benefits rather than diminish them.” In this way, I see Sandwich Me In as an exemplar of the business model of the future, which looks beyond profits to recognize and fill the needs of society.
And judging by the restaurant’s 85% smaller carbon footprint compared to the average restaurant, the reciprocal partnerships, and the reviews of customers in the video, the restaurant is faring quite well in filling those needs.
Sources:
“About the Owner/Chef.” Sandwich Me In, n.d. Web.
Bellware, Kim. “This Restaurant Hasn’t Taken Out the Trash in Nearly Two Years.” The Huffington Post, 28 Apr. 2014. Web.
Tse, Chloe. “A Chicago restaurant achieves a trash-free status.” Biz Energy, 6 May 2014. Web.