In this session from Fast Casual Global, host Paul Barron chats with Josh Chanin, Energy Efficiency Consultant of California Energy Wise and Jonah Goldman, Co-founder, Director of Strategic Marketing of PLNT Burger, to explore the reasons why emerging and startup brands are the new pioneers on how restaurants will be created.

Three Key Points:

It's no secret that consumers drive the trends. In fact, keeping up with modern consumer trends has become a necessity. For brands to continue to see growth they will need to know what consumers are doing and what they are interested in to be able to engage with them and ultimately win their business.

The digital transition has been a major element in the industry over the past year and a half. It has changed everything from the ordering process to app development. Brands will need to continue to enhance their digital business to keep consumers connected in order to create loyalty and drive sales.

Startups will need to focus on quality and innovation to overcome labor, technology, and equipment challenges when building out their units. Businesses should consider ROI for every decision made regarding startup purchases in order to scale, reduce operating costs and increase profits.

Tweetable Quotes:

"Startups are pretty much the one thing that is really, I think, at this point in the game, becoming the lifeblood of the restaurant industry. The startup opportunity is going to be one that, especially in fast casual, is going to be pretty much unmatched in the coming years for the restaurant industry." - Paul Barron

"We have to recognize the reality that today the majority of consumers are looking at their phone for their next meal, and it will make or break companies if they can pivot and exist and flourish in a digital marketplace. We certainly recognize that, and we really value our digital presence and we're always trying to improve and scale that as well."

-Jonah Goldman

"I think a big trend that we're going to see over the coming years is people realizing how to market how sustainable their business is to their customers and show them that they are an energy efficient business, or they're doing their part to save energy." -Josh Chanin

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