Operators of chain health food stores or restaurants require typical food industry training. Beyond that, however, search out educational resources to better understand healthy foods and nutrition since that's the core business. Customers and patrons visit your business because of your healthy food focus, so you owe it to them to ensure those serving customers know what they're doing and understand what they're saying. Additionally, when you and your staff display expert knowledge and skills regarding healthy foods, your customers will tell others, increasing your business and improving your bottom line.

While managers of health food restaurants and natural food chain stores provide some training, nutrition and food training and education typically don't extend beyond basics. Surge past your competition by ensuring your staff takes advantage of opportunities for training and education:

1. Self education via websites with information beneficial to organic food chains and other healthy food chains.

2. Training programs benefiting chefs of healthy foods restaurant chains and those working at an organic health food store chain.

3. Events with learning opportunities for operators of major health food chains and smaller chains.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Pursue self education to help you in your health food chain store/restaurant

Today's consumers looking for healthy food choices will read about the latest trends and news to see if there's something new or better they should be eating. Get ready to answer their questions today by visiting websites that will help you and your staff stay current.

I recommend: Organic food restaurant chain or organic food store operators should save the Organic Consumers Association website as a favorite. It contains the latest organic news, a section dealing with vitamins and supplements and other resources. Bookmark FoodProcessing.com, a website for the food and beverage industry, for quick access to healthy food and vitamin news and trends. The website publishes information useful to both health food store chains and health food chain restaurants.

Participate in structured education programs helpful to those in the health food chain industry

Health food chains education and training may or may not include everything you need to truly understand your menus or the products you sell. Look for opportunities to go beyond what the chain offers for training and education.

I recommend: Learn more about one of the most popular foods found in health food restaurant chains and health food stores--olive oil. The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade offers a 12-minute training video and study guide focused on all aspects of olive oil. If you're interested in owning or working as a chef for an upscale healthy food chain restaurant, first consider attending the Chef's Training at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. The school's curriculum includes culinary techniques for many healthy foods, natural food selection, theoretical and practical approaches to diet and health and much more.

Take advantage of expos useful to health food chain operators

Look for trade shows and expos showcasing new products and trends in the organic, natural and healthy food industry. You'll learn lessons, techniques and new product information to help make your business even more successful.

I recommend: Learn more about upcoming healthy food trade shows and events like SupplyExpo, All Things Organic and take advantage of training, webinars and Fancy Food trade shows with the Specialty Food website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Regardless of the health food chains education and training you provide your sales people, ensure that training includes what they can and cannot say to patrons. Customers often come into health food stores looking for advice, and studies have shown employees of health food stores selling herbal remedies and dietary supplements sometimes offer what amounts to phony medical advice like recommending cessation of doctor-prescribed treatments and medicines or incorrectly suggesting cures resulting from taking certain vitamins and minerals. If their product education only comes from printed materials directly from the manufacturer, look to see if credible scientific references back up the claims your sales people will recite to customers.

Health food chains are located in cities all over the country. Their menus offer a variety of healthy choices for meals including organic foods and drinks. People like them because they can get a healthier food choice for a reasonable price without having to prepare it themselves.

Cash in on healthy foods restaurant chains by opening your own in your city. Large conglomerates own these chains and franchise them out, so get the scoop on start up costs and other regulations. Decide if you will run it yourself or hire a management team. Look for the following when deciding on franchise terms for health food chains:

1. Choose natural food chain stores and serve healthier meals.

2. Decide how much you want to spend on your healthy food chains.

3. Choose your health food restaurants based on name recognition.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check availability and pricing for local health food restaurant chains

Not every franchise has openings in your area. Once you have decided on a chain, contact them to find out if you can open a store in your area. If they have no need in your local area, they will send you a list of close areas that need a local restaurant. You can also decide on a restaurant chain based on total price or down payment needed. You can check your state to see which restaurant chains have openings.

I recommend: GNC offers franchises across the country. Fill out their get acquainted form and application to begin applying for one of their franchises. Planet Smoothie sells vitamins and smoothies combined. Fill out their form to get started on the application process to own this franchise.

Ask the health food chain restaurants about initial investment

Initial investments for restaurant chains is usually high however, some cost less than others cost. Before you decide, find out exactly what monetary commitments you will need to make upfront. Remember also, that the initial investment for the franchise fee only covers the franchise itself and you will still need working capital for such expenses as electricity, phone and payroll.

I recommend: Nature's Table requires a total investment of $100,000 to $175,000 with a franchise fee of $25,000 and royalty fees of five percent. Maui Wowi requires a franchise fee from $25,000 to $50,000. The good news is they have no royalty fee. You do need $70,000 in liquid capital and $250,000 total net worth.

Open health food store chains for immediate business

When you open a chain store, you are cashing in on the name of the franchise. People know that whether your store is in Maine or California, they will get the same menu and service and they stop at a familiar place. This is why you buy a franchise but the down side is there are tight regulations on franchises. You will get your operating schedule, menu and décor from the company. If you fail to meet your obligations, which usually include buying all of your supplies from them, you will lose your franchise.

I recommend: Food Franchise provides franchises available in every state. You can also check franchise availability based on total price. Click on the business that interests you and observe their regulations and operating requirements. Franchise Expo lists available restaurant chain franchises with their respective requirements. Check the listings for ones that meet your business needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Purchase business insurance for organic food chains before you open for business. Make sure your insurance covers all hazards including accidents and food poisoning as well as the normal fire and theft.

When searching for information on opening a health food chain there are a few key terms with which you may not be familiar. These are terms that in a health conscious society you need to familiarize yourself with to help your business grow and become a source for all things health food related. Essentially, you want to know the most you can about the health food industry so you can pass this knowledge on to your customers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Organic

Organic foods have certain standards such as the non-use of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides. This also includes food that doesn't include growth hormones and antibiotics such as you might find in non-organic livestock. Organic food products are considered to be healthier and are a definite must-have at any health food store.

I recommend: Organic Trade Association details how The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) defines organic agriculture and touches on the benefits of organic products.

Smoothie

A smoothie is a drink that is blended and chilled and usually made with fresh fruit or vegetables. Some include protein and whey offerings for an added boost.

I recommend: The Smoothie Manual from Dr. Smoothie offers a smoothie definition and tips for anyone interested in a smoothie business.

Supplements

Supplements, sometimes called vitamins, are simply a supplement to a diet. These can include certain dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals and herbs that are missing from a person's nutritional value.

I recommend: WebMD has a topic overview on dietary supplements that can aid in learning more about this key term.

Sports nutrition

Sports nutrition is a way of life that includes certain supplements and dietary components that can be applied to any sport, but it's most popular in the body-building and weight-training arena. Sports nutrition items can encompass a wide variety of products from whey to creatine, and supplements as well.

I recommend: The National Association of Sports Nutrition guides you through what sports nutrition is and how it works.

Creatine

Creatine is an organic acid that happens naturally in the body and supplies energy to muscle. However, creatine supplements are commonly found in health food stores and can be purchased as an extra dietary component. Creatine is considered to promote muscle growth, which explains its popularity in body-building and weight-training circles.

I recommend: Body Building explains what creatine is and how the supplemental formulas work.

Detoxification and cleansing

Detoxification and cleansing diets remove toxins and poisons from a person's body through the implement of certain supplements and diet. This helps heal the digestive track and restore prime liver functions. While not every doctor believes this to be effective, this is a highly sought-after product in the health food industry.

I recommend: Informed Beauty has an article on doing detoxification the right way and explains the entire process.