MEDIA RELEASE PR39197
From Design to Dining... New Sustainable Restaurant Brings Superb Vegetarian Cuisine
to New York City
NEW YORK, Apr. 20 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Otarian boasts big flavor and the industry's first carbon footprint menu
analysis
Otarian, a new boutique fast-casual restaurant chain, is set to have a big impact
on the competitive New York food scene with the opening of its first two locations in
the United States this spring, and a third location opening later this year. Built on
a sustainable platform and based on the principles of vegetarianism, Otarian will be
the first global chain to carbon footprint all of its menu items according to the
internationally recognized standards of PAS 2050. Otarian is also participating in
the "road testing" of the World Resources Institute's new product carbon footprinting
standard, which is set to become the new gold standard. This will help diners better
understand the environmental impact of their food choices in a highly measurable and
quantifiable way.
According to Otarian founder Radhika Oswal, the Otarian concept combines a strong
commitment to sustainability with a passion for superb cuisine, resulting in a mouth-
watering dining experience that is also good for the planet. The business has been
built on the three key pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and
economical.
"Vegetarianism is the most sustainable way of eating and being. Vegetarian food
has a lighter ecological footprint, reduced resource impacts, and lower carbon
emissions than non-vegetarian equivalents. Our goal is to provide consumers with the
quantifiable and measurable benefits of each delicious vegetarian alternative they
choose at Otarian, and thus, empower them to make a positive impact on the
environment one meal at a time," said Mrs. Oswal, a lifelong vegetarian and committed
environmentalist.
"We are very pleased to have Otarian participate, alongside 70 organizations from
around the world as a road tester of our new Product Life Cycle Accounting and
Reporting Standard," said Pankaj Bhaita, Director of GHG Protocol at WRI. "By
participating as a road tester, Otarian will provide some interesting insight into
the application of supply chain tools within the food sector, which may ultimately
affect the food choices consumers make in the future."
The diverse Otarian menu features a delicious array of globe-spanning vegetarian
choices. These include lighter dishes, such as Mushroom O Cheese Flatbread ($6.45)
and Beet O Feta Salad ($7.45), as well as more substantial meals like Roasted
Vegetable Lasagne ($9.95) and the VegO Burger ($7.95). Otarian also offers
sustainable options to satisfy any sweet tooth, including Choc O Mousse ($4.95) and
Panna Cotta O Berry ($4.95). And the restaurant chain's "Carbon Saving Combo" meals
allow consumers to order a "set" meal that represents the largest possible carbon
savings - or a 21 mile drive in an eco-car. Over the course of a year, this saving
equates to the carbon used to drive an eco-car from New York to Orlando.
Otarian also represents a significant advancement in sustainable business
practices. All decisions about Otarian's food and operations are made with
sustainability at the forefront. Some of these include:
-- Dishes that yield lower carbon footprints than comparable meat-based
dishes - "Carbon Saving Combos" provide at least 3kgs of carbon savings
compared to equivalent meat-based dishes. If every American ate an
Otarian Carbon Saving Combo meal instead of the meat equivalent, the
nation would save 26.5% of its Copenhagen Accord commitment for that
day.
-- No air freight policy - Ingredients that would typically be air
freighted, such as Otarian's fresh herbs from Israel or select produce
from California, are instead transported by road. Dishes are
reformulated to exclude these ingredients if a reliable supply is
unavailable without using air transport.
-- 98% of restaurant waste composted or recycled - Otarian will have waste
collected by private companies to ensure it is recycled or composted
and is paying double the price to achieve this rate, which is
unprecedented in the fast food sector.
-- All packaging compostable, recyclable or reusable - Otarian will use
innovative materials like bagasse to help minimize the environmental
impact of the packaging. Bagasse is a fully bio-degradable by-product
of the sugar cane industry that has historically been treated as waste.
-- Sustainable design and architecture - Otarian leads the way in the
fast-casual restaurant design, incorporating sustainable materials
throughout the establishment, including floor tiles made from recycled
glass, table tops made using recycled plastic, ceiling decor made from
recycled aluminum, and chairs made from sustainably sourced bamboo.
Otarian will open the doors of its first restaurant in New York at 154 Bleecker
Street on April 19th, with another location opening at 947 8th Avenue on April 23rd.
A location on Lexington Avenue is scheduled to open later this year. Restaurant hours
at the Bleecker Street location will be 12 p.m. - 1 a.m., Monday - Saturday; and 12
p.m. - 11 p.m. on Sundays. The 8th Avenue location will be open from 11 a.m. - 12
a.m., Monday - Saturday; and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Sundays. Prices range from ($7.45 -
About Otarian
Otarian is a new boutique global quick service restaurant chain and retail brand
built on a sustainable platform. It is based on the principles of vegetarianism and
its benefits to human health and the well being of all living creatures and the
environment. The first Otarian outlets will open in New York and London in early
2010. London outlets will be located on Wardour Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, with a
Regent Street outlet opening later in 2010. The first New York outlets will be
located on Bleecker Street and 8th Avenue with a Lexington Avenue outlet to follow
later in the year.
Otarian is the flagship Quick Service Restaurant of the Oswal Group Global
operated by its Australian subsidiary, Oswal Projects.
SOURCE: Otarian
CONTACT: Lori Shachtman,
Ogilvy Public Relations,
+1-847-975-2330,
lshachtman@bcapltd.com
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