Tweet

Consumers are concerned and often worried about nutrition, food safety, and genetically modified food and organisms. They are extremely particular about what they eat when they go out. For such consumers there are certified green restaurants. These restaurants recycle and compost at their establishments, and that grow their own produce. A list of all these restaurants is available at the Green Restaurant Association`s website.

Some of the most well known green organic restaurants are: Blue Hill at Stone Barns and New York City organic restaurants, French inspired Blackbird organic restaurant, California`s Alice Water`s famous restaurant Chez Panisse organic restaurant which started green cooking in the United States as well as the establishment of the Chez Panisse Foundation. Others are Harvest restaurant in Wisconsin and at Washington DC, Organic Restaurant Nora - the first certified organic restaurant in the United States. Manresa Restaurant – California`s produce is is biodynamically grown specially for them. The menu is a combination of French and Spanish cuisine. Savoy Restaurant - New York City with its Union Square fresh market, with stalls selling fresh farmed produce, meats and cheeses.

In the United Kingdom, organic foods and Organic Food Stores and Natural Food Stores are hitting the mainstream and the trade is in million of dollars with imports accounting for some 65 percent of these sales. Fresh horticultural products are good prospects for US organic suppliers to the UK. While the organic market in the Westernized countries is dependent on a small core of regular customers, their number is growing with greater life expectancy and increasing disposable income.

Organic products generally command a price premium, reflecting the higher costs of production. While price is often a determining factor in the consumer`s decision to buy, in the organic food arena, quality is usually more important than price.

The UK as a member of European Union (EU), does not recognize U.S. organic production rules. Packaging for organic foods must conform to EU regulations. Foods with more than 95-percent organic agricultural ingredients may be labeled organic. Those having between 70 and 95 percent organic content may be called partly organic. Any product with less than 70 percent organic content is not considered to be organic food.

Organic restaurants and cafes are growing in numbers. Most are concentrated in London and are many a times part of organic retail outlets. Despite the organic restaurants slow growth, quite a few traditional food outlets are adding organic choices to their menus. For example, McDonald`s UK sells organic milk at outlets.