Idea Napkin No. 1

1. You

My name is Grace Ubben, and I'm a senior advertising major at UF. I have more than four years of internship experience in everything from social media management, content creation, and video production, to strategy and analytics. Not only do I love creating powerful content, but also providing the data behind those creations. A communicator at heart, I enjoy building relationships with consumers by better understanding audience motivations and creating engaging content. For as long as I can remember, enjoying food has been a central part of my life. From Spaghetti-O’s and Kid’s Cuisine at my Nana’s house to overnight oats and avocado toast in my dorm room, food is not just a biological necessity; it’s something that I look forward to every day, no matter what. Nothing gets me more excited than planning and preparing a delicious meal. But, during my first couple years of college I began to develop an unhealthy relationship with food. I developed an eating disorder called orthorexia, which is rooted in an obsession with healthy eating. The motivation was good: Eat clean and exercise to become the healthiest version of myself. But I was eating too little and exercising too much, and constantly worrying about what I was consuming. I started to lose my love of food because I was letting my eating control me. I turned to Instagram for clean eating inspiration and found feeds filled with healthy-looking food. I was inspired by a particularly vibrant photo of a colorful smoothie bowl and decided I wanted to embrace my body and enjoy food again. I got back in the kitchen and just started experimenting with recipes, whipping up delicious creations and concoctions. I decided to use my experience to help other people who may be battling eating disorders or just unhealthy relationships with food. I created the Instagram account @deliciouslygraced, where I share delicious healthy recipes and engage other foodies in a healthy conversation around food. I encourage people to embrace themselves by creating content that inspires them to see food as wholesome and nourishing, not only for the body, but for the mind and soul. It has become a way for me to recover and help others along the way.

2. What are you offering to customers?

I am offering consumers both a product and a service. It is a fast food restaurant that provides healthy, sustainable plant-based food. I am solving their unmet need because there are currently no fast food restaurants, specifically in the Gainesville area, dedicated to serving plant-based food prepared in a healthy, minimally processed way. The fast food industry is one of the key contributors to a rising number of health problems and it's the single largest contributor to green house gasses. My fast food restaurant will serve fast food made entirely without the use of animal products or artificial ingredients and served in 100% biodegradable and compostable materials. 

3. Who are you offering it to?

There are two types of individuals included in my target market: plant-based eaters and non plant-based eaters. The first group are those who are plant-based eaters in the age range of 18-49. According to Statista, 7.5 percent of Millennials and Gen Z have given up meat. The same goes for veganism, where the younger generations have taken on the diet at nearly double the rate of older Americans. It will mostly be marketed to college students and those individuals working on a college campus. College students spend an overall average of $71 per month on fast food. That's more than any other age group spends on food. The food will stay in the $5-$10 range, to be competitive with the other fast food chain prices. The second group will be those who may not be plant-based eaters, but want a quick, healthy option in between work and school. People in this group also care strongly about protecting the environment. 

4. Why do they care?

I believe that college students and those who work on or near college campuses will pay me money to eat at my healthy, sustainable fast food restaurant because they are becoming hyper conscious of their health and their impact on the environment. According to Nielsen, 40 percent of Americans make an effort to eat more plant-based foods. There are a growing number of health-conscious consumers embracing a plant-based lifestyle and making the conscious choice to simply try eating less meat. This is not only due to the long list of health benefits, but also because of the impact a plant-based lifestyle has on the environment. According to the annual climate opinion map conducted by Yale, researchers found that 70 percent of Americans think environmental protection is more important than economic growth. I believe people will support the product and service because of the health benefits, environmental benefits, and the growing popularity, as well as the convenience, quality, and deliciousness. It will allow them to feel good about the food their putting in their bodies, without breaking the bank.

5. What are your core competencies?

In terms of the University of Florida campus, there are two main competitors: Chipotle and Just Salad. Both Chipotle and Just Salad offer plant-based options the are relatively quick and relatively healthy, albeit slightly more expensive than most fast food chains. However, the only options at Chipotle are burritos, burrito bowls, and salads, just minus the meat. And as the name suggests, Just Salad only serves salads. There are hardly any options for variety when a plant-based eater is on campus. The beauty of my idea for a plant-based fast food restaurant is that there would be a variety of healthy options, besides just salads and bowls. We will have burgers and fries, tacos, mac and cheese, and pizza. Something for everyone, beyond just salad. I want to break this stigma that eating healthy and plant-based has to be boring. Plus, neither of these competitors is composting wasted food. Rather than having people throw away their leftovers in the garbage, we will have composting bins, so that we can compost our waste. 

Do you believe these elements fit together or are these aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others?

I believe all of these elements work well together. I think the weakest element of this business concept is that the target market focuses on college students. In the early developing stages I got the idea for this healthy, sustainable fast food restaurant because I saw it as something that was missing that I could have benefited from throughout college. I figured that it would make the most sense to target college students because I believe they eat more fast food than other age groups. When they are on campus for hours and need food, they pick up whatever's closest and cheapest. Inevitably they end up spending a lot of money on fast food. I think once people graduate and begin working, they don't eat fast food as often because they are working and are more likely to pack a lunch for work or go to a sit-down restaurant for meetings. However, college students are often living on a budget. This means they have to be mindful about how much they're spending and where they're spending their money. This could make it a difficult group to market to. But, I believe in my idea and I am confident that it is something that would be beneficial, not only to plant-based eaters, but to anyone who cares about taking care of themselves and the world around them.