Idea Napkin No. 2

1) You. Who you are. What your talents are. What your skills and experiences are. Also: what are your aspirations? Specifically regarding your business concept, how do you see this business (if you were to start it) playing a role in your life?

• My name is Grace, and I am a senior advertising major. My passions fuel my purpose in everything I do and give my life meaning. Whether I'm working on school work, client work, or helping out my friends or family, I give 100 percent of myself and take the extra time and attention to detail to make sure things are done right. Growing up in a big blended family, I've learned how to balance different personalities. I can easily adapt to whatever environment I'm in and find ways to connect with people who are different from me. I'm always hungry to learn new things about myself and the world around me. 
• One of my greatest aspirations is to help people become the greatest versions of themselves. So often we get in the mindset of living to work rather than working to live. Throughout college I have become passionate about health and fitness and taking care of my body by fueling it with proper nutrients. I want to help people eat and live well. I want to share my passion and help people learn how to take care of themselves, as well as the environment, in order to live more holistic, balanced lives. If I were to start this business, it would allow me to share that passion with the world and help other college students discover their own passion for bettering themselves.

2) What are you offering to customers? Describe the product or service (in other words, how you'll solve customers' unmet needs). 

• For the most part, the has not changed. I am offering both a product and a service to individuals who are looking for healthy food options on campus. It is a fast food restaurant that provides healthy, sustainably sourced plant-based fast food. 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 restaurant will serve fast food made entirely without the use of animal products or artificial ingredients and served in 100% biodegradable and compostable materials. 
• Based on my feedback, I realized that the need is even more present than I originally thought. I am certainly not the only person who feels that there is a need for a food place on campus that is cheap, fast, and healthy. Every college student I have talked to has agreed that this is something we are missing on campus. 

3) Who are you offering it to? Describe, in as much detail as possible, the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your customers. Think especially of this question: what do your customers all have in common?

• This part has only changed a little bit. My main target group is college students. Within that group there are two types of individuals: plant-based eaters and non plant-based eaters. The first group are those who are plant-based eaters in the age range of 18-30. 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 who want a quick, healthy option in between school or work. People in this group also care strongly about protecting the environment. 
• After looking at the feedback, it solidified my decision to market to college students. Although the college student market is difficult to market to, due to our lack of money, the feedback I got supports my decision to market to this group because fast food is one of the only categories (besides textbooks) where college students outspend every other demographic. Many agreed that marketing to college students is a great opportunity for this business. 

4) Why do they care? Your solution is only valuable insofar as customers believe its valuable to them. Here, explain why customers will actually pay you money to use your product or service. 

• College students are calling for healthier options. As more students are switching to veganism and vegetarianism, there has never been a better time to add more plant-based options on campus. This has not changed from my last idea napkin. College students and those who work on or near college campuses want 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? What sets you apart from everyone else? Also: what do you have that nobody else has?

• There is one healthy fast food restaurant in the UK called LEON Restaurants, which is known for their "naturally fast food." Their menu is inspired by the flavors, variety and natural healthiness of Mediterranean cooking. They have tons of options, but all menu items have Mediterranean flavors. These flavors may not appeal to everyone, especially because these are not the typical flavors of fast food. And their menu is not 100% plant-based, however they do offer options for vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, gluten-free eaters, and those looking for low-calorie options. They have restaurants all over the UK, and they just recently opened up a couple locations in Washington D.C., where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to serving up healthy fast food, the restaurant is also committed to sustainability through its use of renewable energy in all restaurant locations. I love the concept behind this company, but because they are mostly in the UK, it wouldn't be feasible for the to open a restaurant at UF.
• In terms of competition on UF's campus, there are two main competitors: Chipotle and Just Salad. This has not changed. 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 could 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. 

In addition to these five elements, please spend a paragraph evaluating whether you believe these elements fit together or whether there are aspects of your business concept that are weaker / out-of-joint with the others. 

• I believe that all of these elements work well together. However, I believe the weakest part is that I do not have connections with people in the food/fast food industry who could really drive this idea forward. I can work on making those connections in the future by talking to local restaurant owners and maybe even reaching out to the owners/managers of LEON Restaurants for advice. 

Feedback memo: 

1. I included more of my strengths using the feedback I got from my family and friends. Some of my personal skills are pretty universal, but they're still what make me, me. I also included more about why I am passionate about this specific idea and why it is so important to me.

2. I kept my original product offering because the feedback I got from students solidified the need for a cheap, fast, and healthy food option on campus.

3. I kept college students as my target market because I got the feedback that college students spend more money on fast food than any other group.

4. I kept my product/service idea the same based on the fact that health-consciousness is on the rise among young people and veganism and vegetarianism are more popular now than ever before.

5. I did some more research on competitors in the healthy fast food sector and found one in the UK that has some similarities to my idea. Researching them allowed me to think about what I like and don't like about their business and how I can improve those things within my business.