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Selected stories 2011-2021
Sunday, Nov 9th at High Noon.
Booth #1851. Javits Center. Be there.
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We hear from hotel operators, restaurateurs, and even caterers frequently about how they're looking for a better - more upscale - carry out or to-go box. Well, Verterra has your answer!
To learn more about Verterra and their innovative and sustainably crafted dinnerware, trays, and carry out boxes, go here: http://www.verterra.com/
Q: Tell us about your experience in India that made you decide to start Verterra with the Fallen Leaves idea? How long ago was that? A: While in business school I wanted to work in India to round out my international experience since I had previously spent two years in China. I went to India, fairly clueless of the on the ground reality; when I arrived I saw so much untapped potential that it was exciting to be around. During my internship I joined a work colleague to dinner in his village. There, I came across the rural version of what soon became VerTerra. A woman who was a street vendor on the side of the road was soaking palm leaves in water and then pressing them into a waffle iron of sorts. She then served her food on these now dried and harden “plates”. I didn’t see it for what it was but rather what it could be; the future of disposables. I spent the next months following rumors of factories that were manufacturing these palm leaf plates, but none existed. It was then I realized that if I wanted this to be something amazing I would need to make it happen myself. I came back to the US, raised a bit of money, and spent my second year in business school going to India and Israel to work on the process and sterilization of the products. A year later we were done, a factory was erected, and after some testing and final approvals VerTerra was born. That was nearly 8 years ago.
Q: How does a guy with an economics undergraduate degree…who studied in China….has an MBA from Columbia and investment banking background….decide to sell tableware made from fallen leaves? A: No part of that makes any sense, does it? I didn’t wake up one day thinking I would start a dinnerware company. Originally, I was going to use the material to make something else but after I read an article on the chemicals used in plastics and the issues of leaching in food it frightened me. Sometime later, I then saw pictures of the garbage patch in the oceans, collections of plastic the size of Texas floating and killing millions of fish and birds. It made me pose the question, “what can we do about it?” People “handling these issues” seemed focused on the “pound of cure” and not the “ounce of prevention”. By using the abundance of natural materials that we use at VerTerra, we’ve now become part of the solution. Q: Did the fact that growth in off-premise - or carryout – dining is double the growth of traditional restaurant dining influence you decision to start VerTerra? A: I wish I had been that well informed at the onset. The creation of the company started with passion; as the logic developed, the current trends became wind in our sails. We have since re-engineered the lines to focus around the needs of off-premise / fast casual / carry-out establishments. The number of people looking for good food that is easily and quickly accessible just keeps growing so our new line of trays + to-go line is specifically designed to fit their needs. Q: Who are some of the customers who are currently using Verterra products? A: Verterra has had the privilege of working with some of the top organizations in food such as Food & Wine Magazine, StarChefs.com, Saveur Magazine, Eater.com, Edible Magazine, and the Culinary Institute of America. Most recently (after years of partnership) we were given the title of Official House Purveyor of the James Beard Foundation and participated in the JBF Awards Gala and Chef’s Night Out. We’re also fortunate to partner with unbelievable events like Aspen Food & Wine Festival, NY Food & Wine Festival, South Beach Food & Wine Festival, Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, and hundreds of other tasting/food events. You can also see us in use daily at some really cool places like ‘wichcraft and Untamed Sandwiches. Q: What trends do you see emerging in disposable and single-service tabletop? Carryout? A: For the past two years, most of our product development conversations have been around the grab and go, box lunch, and in-room dining arena. Fast Casual and hotel operators are looking for upgraded carry out experiences for their customers and high-end restaurants are looking for a way to create that same level of the restaurant experience for guests at their homes. Operators across the landscape have been stressing the fact that packaging is an important part of their brands and needs to be a bigger part of the conversation. The question they came to us with was: “How can we create a dining experience for the customer that takes their meal outside of our walls and isn’t just having a logo on a bag?” It is about reinventing the experience. On the hotel side, in-room dining isn’t the private dining experience that it was created to be years ago. Its main clientele now is the late night diner or the single business traveler. The whole trolley experience is antiquated and worst of all the rest of the hotel guests suffer with a hallway occupied by the remnants of their neighbor’s meal. Half of a pizza, the bones from the chicken wings, who wants to see that? It’s just unsightly. A few Food & Beverage manager expressed a desire to migrate to containers but the look of many current products on the market made them feel that it is déclassé for a nicer property to use something like that. So, they asked us to develop something and thus our new line of trays + to-go was born. Many of our partners have cited the beauty, style and design of our lines as the reason for selecting them as they realize the plate is a critical element of the presentation. You always say table top matters and others are starting to realize it. One chef referred to the plate the foundation of his meal. I always loved that. Q: What types of new products should we expect to see from VerTerra at the upcoming NRA Show? A: Our full line of VerTerra dinnerware from fallen leaves will be on display as well as our compostable wooden cutlery. We will be launching our series of trays + to-gos as the upgraded option for food & beverage professionals. We’re very excited about the new line since it’s an ideal solution for to-go meals, drop off catering, poolside/outdoor and in-room dining. Q: What other areas of tabletop will VerTerra be looking at in the future?
A: We’re always doing our best to listen to our clients and help service a need to make their jobs easier. We’ve got a few interesting ideas in the pipeline but you’ll have to stay tuned to see those come to fruition. My guiding principle in any new product is that it 1) must meet the needs of a chef, 2) should be superior in performance to anything on the market and 3) always be mindful that you eat with your eyes first, your nose second and your mouth third. If our product doesn’t enhance a dining experience there is no reason to make it. You can learn more about VerTerra and their very cool, very earth-friendly line of single-service dinnerware, trays, and carry-out containers by going here: http://www.verterra.com/ You can also find VerTerra at the upcoming NRA Show in Chicago at Booth # 378 VerTerra is proud to introduce their new line of wooden Trays + To-Go boxes. Furthering VerTerra’s mission to combine high design with the highest levels of environmental responsibility, their new line of Trays + To-Go collection is sourced from reclaimed wood wrapped in rice paper, delivering both function and beauty. VerTerra’s Trays + To-Go boxes feature fixed sides that are strong and durable with minimalistic styling and subtly sloped angles that frame you culinary offerings like a work of art. Their lidded To-Go boxes provide an upscale alternative to-go option that reinforces the quality of your food. Here’s your chance to redefine your to-go, take-away and drop-off experience. VerTerra’s Collapsible Trays are designed for versatility where storage space is at a premium, these trays transform from flat to fully functional serving pieces with a simple pull of the sides. VerTerra was founded on the belief that it’s possible to combine high design with the highest standards of environmental responsibility. And now, VerTerra is redefining what stylish, sustainable and compostable disposable dinnerware can be. Thoughtfully and beautifully designed, VerTerra offers a chic touch of nature to each table. To learn more about VerTerra and its very cool story and great earth-friendly line of dinnerware and more, go here: http://www.verterra.com/ |
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