This snippet of interesting information was found through Treehugger‘s blog. Prêt à Manger is a popular chain in big cities like Manhattan, Hong Kong and London. I only recently found out that their tasty food is also grown according to higher standards than I would usually expect from a fast foody place.
Itâs fast food that thinks slow. Theyâve got breakfasts, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts and you can be guaranteed that they are free of preservatives, artificial colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, and partially-hydrogenated fats, and that their turkey, chicken, beef, and ham all come from small co-ops and family-run farms that donât give their animals any antibiotics or hormones. They also do what they can to source Organic ingredients. At this point, at least, their milk, eggs, coffee, tea, juices, chocolate and popcorn are all organic. And the taste? Well, reports are good.
No wonder I liked their generously filled sandwiches… Even their pre-packed sushi was decent to fill that lunch time craving. The reality of organic food in this day and age is that it is expensive and someone has to pay the tab. Apparently the over-pricing of sandwiches doesn’t cut the mustard, and a big wig of the food industry had to back them up.
In 2001, McDonalds helped them out with about $25 million and took a 1/3 stake in the company. Pret claims that âMcDonald’s do not have any direct influence over what we sell or how we sell it; nor would they want to. They have invested in Pret because they like what we do.â?
Although Prêt isn’t what I’d call a “family initiative” or anything, it’s still offering freshly made, somewhat healthier food than McD’s so let’s hope the corners aren’t cut to make more profit, resulting in not much more than a memory of healthy organic food. If the only contribution from McD’s is financial and the little guy still uses fresh ingredients in the Prêt sandwiches, then we’ll all have happy bellies.
that canadian girl 