According to market analysis firm The NPD Group, although only 1.5% of the U.S. population qualifies as vegetarian, this percentage does not take into account the large number of people who choose to abstain from eating meat occasionally. The shift for the foodservice market, according to The NPD vice president Harry Balzer, is the increased demand for vegetarian dishes. Greenz, a place that offers salads in creative presentations at affordable prices, some with meat others with vegetables only, and soups, grew out of observing the preferences of people who work and eat on the street all week.
The curious thing is that since its opening the vegetarian part of the salad menu exceeds the demand for meat dishes. Other examples, reported on the site www.fastcasual.com, are pizza Fusion, whose pizza offer includes two vegan and about twelve vegetarians. Ashley Rathgeber, the chain's director of sourcing, says that while there are fewer vegetarians on the market, this population is more loyal to establishments that offer dishes tailored to their regimen. For Au Bon Pain, not only the demand for vegetarian dishes has increased; also the increased awareness about healthy eating has made the place have added more vegetables in their sandwiches.
