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120 121 In its further devotion to providing its guests the very best in healthful ingredients, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café was the first franchise to become Responsible Epicurean and Agricultur- al Leadership (REAL)-certified, a designation it has held since the first store opened. The United States Healthful Food Council developed REAL to be the trusted, nationally recognized mark of excellence for food and foodservice operators committed to holistic nutrition and environmen- tal stewardship. The goal of REAL certification is to affect change in the food and foodservice industries by providing market-based incentives to increase the profitability of more healthful and sustainable food and beverage. To become certi- fied, Taziki’s Café had to go through an analysis of its restaurants, cooking processes, product sourc- ing, and nutritional options. Over the last several years, Richards has also expanded the brand’s philanthropic endeavors by creating the Herbs Offering Personal Enrichment (HOPE) program in Birmingham, an initiative in which special-needs children grow fresh herbs TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ - the basil, parsley, rosemary, cilantro, and oregano - used in Taziki’s local restaurants. “We buy from the HOPE garden as our vendor,” he ex- plains. “After school, children are paid to come out and tend to the garden.” The com- pany also hires special-needs employees in all of its corpo- rate-owned locations. In the crowded and com- petitive “fast casual” restau- rant sector, Richards believes that besting the competition is accomplished by first finding the right location for each new Taziki’s Café, and then sticking to the basics that has, so far, brought Eudaimonia to himself, his family, and his patrons. “We’re going to follow the recipes, be consistent in our prod- uct, and then we’ve got to give them better service,” he asserts. “If we don’t do those things, then shame on us –we’ve let them go to the competition.” PREFERRED VENDOR n Fresh Technology www.fresh.technology.com At Fresh Tools we understand restaurants because we’re restaurant people. We build fully integrated technology solutions that allow you to improve what matters most - customer experience, food, employee success and the bottom line. We’ll never stop dreaming, innovating, and working to empower you and your business. That’s who we are.