As the organic food movement grows, the fast, the affordable and the familiar have largely been left on the sidelines.
“People are more concerned as to what they put into themselves,” said Seth Leifer, co-owner of the recently opened organic burger eatery The Filling Station on South Avenue in New Canaan.
According to a recent poll by the National Restaurant Association, more than 76 percent of the population actively tries to be more health conscious than two years prior. The association also released numbers from chefs who see “locally grown” and “organic” as top trends. (Mini-sized desserts were No. 1.)
Leifer and his business partner, Nicholas Type did their own research, traveling around the country tasting organic burgers.
“If there was a good organic burger out there we”™ve tried it,” said Leifer. “We”™ve eaten our way across the country.”
With classic burger chains like Shake Shack and In-N-Out Burger in mind, the pair decided to apply the organic concept to simple burgers.
Leifer is a New York City lawyer who mostly represents those in the restaurant industry and Type ”“ who lives in Darien ”“ is the culinary mind, having run New York City food establishments.
“We wanted a good burger,” said Leifer. And so, apparently, do others. As proof: the professionals and school children waiting outside for the doors to open.
Leifer said the reaction from the New Canaan community has been great and is already encouraging the partners to look for a second location.
The Filling Station”™s beef comes from Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport, Maine, which raises animals without the use of any chemicals.
“It”™s organically raised beef,” said Type. “You”™d think that with Whole Foods, the organic would be gauged toward that upper-middle and higher market echelons, but the construction workers are in here and are just as knowledgeable and excited about the prospect of organic. They are just as aware.”
The Filling Station”™s house burger and fries is under $5.
“We”™re not exclusive to anyone,” said Type. “We made a business decision that our price points needed that mass appeal. There”™s a tendency in Fairfield County to tack a couple dollars on because of your zip code. We thought that was a violation.”
Leifer said in addition to the burger there was a conscious effort to have healthy option on the menu. “The veggie burger makes up 30 to 40 percent of our volume here,” he said. “We make it to taste like veggies, rather than trying to make it taste like meat,” said Type. “We also have chicken hotdogs with a calorie count under 100 and if you really want to be good to yourself, the smoked tofu hotdog is around 50 calories, incredibly low. And it”™s good.”
Type said also on the menu is a good old-fashioned sloppy Joe, made with the organic beef of course, fries cooked in pure canola oil, and milkshakes made from local milk. A variety of mustards is available.
“It”™s the prospect of options,” said Type. “We wanted it to be like you were opening your fridge. It adds fun to it and allows for customization of a good tasting burger, with less guilt.”
The concept of organic burgers is not unique to the Filling Station. It has climbed to the franchise level with Elevation Burger, a Northern Virginia”“based chain.
Elevation has initiated a multi-unit franchising deal spanning New York and Connecticut with entrepreneur and former news publisher Daniel Magnus.
Magnus will head up seven Elevation Burgers in Fairfield County and Westchester County, N.Y. He is currently in the site selection process. Magnus said in both counties the fast food organic movement is underserved.
“I am very excited to bring the Elevation concept of healthier, fresh, great tasting organic burgers to this area and our families,” said Magnus.
Magnus did not say how much he has invested. According to a company filing, opening an Elevation Burger can cost anywhere from $400,000 to more than $700,000.
