News

Wendy's transitions to more 'sustainable' greenhouse tomatoes next year

June 6, 2018

Wendy's said this week it will source vine-ripened tomatoes for its North American restaurants exclusively from greenhouse farms by early next year. The company said in a news release that this move is a first in the QSR industry. 

Tomatoes for Wendy's will be grown in indoor greenhouse and hydroponic farms from approximately a dozen suppliers throughout North America, including those in the Pacific Northwest, West Coast, Southeast and Great Lakes regions in the states as well as Mexico and eastern and western Canada.

Wendy's Chief Communications Officer Liliana Esposito said it's a continuation of the chain's focus on freshness that goes back to Wendy's introduction of the QSR space's first salad bar, all the way to the chain's widely touted fresh beef.

"We're making this change for a variety of reasons that will benefit our customers, but taste and quality are the top factors and we are excited about the superior flavors we can achieve with this change," Wendy's Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance Dennis Hecker said in the release. "Additionally, greenhouse farms provide supply predictability and quality assurance benefits--including continuity of supply; protection of crops from harsh weather; safe, indoor growing conditions; and a significant reduction of chemical pesticides used on the plants." 

Wendy's said greenhouse-sourced tomato use also supports local economies by sustaining the agricultural workforce with fresh produce that can be grown year-round in more comfortable, indoor working environments. It will also bring economic opportunities to regions that previously have been unable to support year-round agriculture production due to geography and climate.

The chain also said it will regularly communicate about the many benefits of the move which it said enhances sustainability and reduces chemical pesticide use since often greenhouses use other insects like ladybugs to vanquish  the pests that actually harm the crop.