Wendy’s teams up with Honest Tea
Wendy’s has announced that they will be serving Honest Tea nationally at their restaurants, following the organic food trend that is increasingly mainstream. Although its parent company is Coca-Cola, Honest Tea is brewed fresh by workers, sweetened with fair-trade sugars and natural flavors approved in USDA certified organic foods.
Wendy’s is a standout among competitors, reports the Wall Street Journal, as they join the healthy eating movement. Honest Tea Co-Founder and CEO told WSJ that the tea will be brewed on site, and Wendy’s has an exclusive deal to sell the Honest Tropical Green Tea flavor.
Opting for organics is a lucrative decision
The fast food chain is making a responsible decision, but also a financially lucrative one, as traditional sodas are waning in popularity. Diet Coke consumption has dipped 15 percent in the past two years, and Coke’s soda sales volume has only risen one percent per year in the last two years internationally.
The drink will sell for $1.69 for a small drink compared to $1.39 for a small soda, and we predict that consumers will not mind the price difference. Goldman says he believes the drink will hit $500 million in sales in five years, after raking in $134M in 2014 alone.
Wendy’s is not alone in their opting for organic products, as Walmart and Target have opted to increase their options of organic foods sold in stores.
Why organic foods are going mainstream
Organic foods are becoming more commonplace due to consumer demand and increased awareness. Studies show that Millennials opt for organic foods more than any generation in recent history, so chains are rushing to meet them at the cash register.
Fast food chains are increasingly partnering with organic food producers for things like drinks, eliminating trans fats, and following the rules regarding publication of calorie counts on menus, but the road toward a healthy nation is a long one, and our nation has much work to do. This is but one step of many.
