Olamendi's Express Fresh and Natural Mexican Cuisine Partners with Alegría Farm to Offer "Farm-to-Table in Minutes" Salads
Same-day harvested greens from Alegría Farm now served exclusively at Mission Viejo location
Laguna Beach, CA (September 24, 2012) - Today Alegría Fresh announced that Carlos Olamendi is breaking new ground by introducing Alegria Farm’s same-day harvested salad greens at Olamendi's Express in Mission Viejo. For over 40 years, the Olamendi family has served fresh and natural authentic Mexican cuisine at their Capistrano Beach, Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo restaurants. Alegria Farm greens will be offered exclusively at Olamendi’s Express in Mission Viejo.
"Olamendi's Express in Mission Viejo is the first restaurant to showcase locally grown produce from Alegría Farm, which fits perfectly with our philosophy to heighten our customer's 'Pakini,' the Náhuatl (Aztec) word for personal happiness," said Carlos Olamendi. "This partnership will fulfill our mission to serve the finest produce available and increase awareness of healthy eating, plus protect the planet through sustainable farming practices."
Alegría Farm, located in Laguna Beach, CA., is a new commercial hydroponic vertical farm employing more than 170 hydroponic towers to grow 10,000 plants in less than a 1/4 acre, with no pesticides.
"Working together with Carlos represents a new revolution in Mexican cuisine," said Erik Cutter, Managing Director of Alegría Fresh. "Olamendi's traditional dishes from Puebla and Veracruz are made with the same ingredients and care that Carlos' mother insisted upon as he was growing up. This commitment to great food and the fact Carlos does not take shortcuts has made him a leader in the new trend to consume locally-grown nutrient-rich foods. We will strengthen his rich tradition with our highly nutritious, same-day harvested greens, herbs and vegetables and offer the finest tasting food possible, just like his mother did over 80 years ago.”
Olamendi's "Alegria Salads" will feature cilantro, tomatoes, chilies, summer crisp, romaine and butter head lettuce, sweet basil, epazote, peppermint and arugula grown locally in Laguna Beach. With its close proximity to Olamendi's Express Mission Viejo, Alegria Farm will deliver hours-young produce on a daily basis.
“The number one food that scientific research has shown to have a strong positive association with increased longevity in humans is raw leafy greens, normally referred to as salad,” writes Dr. Joel Fuhrman in his best selling book, Eat to Live. “Leafy greens such as romaine, lettuce, kale, collards, Swiss Chard and spinach are the most nutrient-dense of all foods.”
“Consuming salad greens within a few hours of their harvest provides powerful enzymes, nutrients and phytochemicals that protect the body from chronic disease,” said Cutter. “Food that sits on the shelf or is transported by truck loses its nutritional benefits within days.”
Alegría Farm employs the Verti-Gro® system, featured for the past 16 years at the Epcot® theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The Verti-Gro® hydroponic system uses no soil, 90 percent less water, 70 percent less land, 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional natural, nutrient-dense farming and zero toxic pesticides.
"We are always looking for healthier ways to serve the beautiful aromas and flavors of Mexico to our customers," said Olamendi. "When we discovered Alegría Farm, we knew immediately this is a great opportunity to set a new standard in our traditional recipes by using these locally-grown, clean and natural ingredients."
Olamendi's Express Mission Viejo is located at 27775 Santa Margarita Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691.
About Olamendi's
Carlos Olamendi is one of nine siblings who founded Olamendi’s Mexican Cuisine, which has been serving the finest authentic Mexican cuisine in Orange County since 1973. The family's classic family recipes, passed down from generation to generation, are prepared daily using only the freshest, natural ingredients in order to provide a unique, memorable and pleasant dining experience. Carlos’s commitment to health and well being has made him a leader among quick service restaurateurs. Olamendi's Express Mission Viejo is located at 27775 Santa Margarita Parkway in Mission Viejo, CA. It can be reached by calling (949) 768-8991.
About Alegría Farm
Alegría Farm, located in Laguna Beach, CA., is a new commercial hydroponic vertical farm employing over 170 hydroponic towers growing over 10,000 plants in less than 1/4 acre. Alegria Farm is Orange County’s first hydroponic vertical farm, a project of EnviroIngenuity whose forward-thinking team is engaged in the promotion of resource efficient sustainable technologies.
Alegría Farm is the first West coast demonstration center to showcase the high-resource efficiency and superior produce quality that is achieved using the Verti-Gro® system,
which uses no soil, 90 percent less water, 70 percent less land, 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional natural, nutrient-dense farming and zero toxic pesticides. Verti-Gro® hydroponic commercial and home garden systems produce clean, natural food much faster than traditional farming and allow plants to grow bigger and stronger, making plants naturally pest resistant.
For more info on Verti-Gro® systems or to schedule a private tour of Alegría Farm, please email Erik Cutter at ecutter@alegriafresh.com, or call (949) 230-2486.
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