Hopdoddy is transitioning to regenerative beef for its burgers and seed-free oil for its fries, changing up its sourcing strategy to shift to these more sustainable products.
This fall, the Austin, Texas-based better burger chain expanded its partnership with Force of Nature, a company that supplies meat raised by regenerative agriculture practices. Cattle and bison graze on land with methods that improve soil health and heal the ecosystem.
Hopdoddy’s mission is to spread awareness of the need to increase regenerative farming practices to conserve our planet. “It’s not a supply issue, it’s an awareness issue,” said Matt Schweitzer, VP of culinary for the 48-unit chain.
Schweitzer specs a proprietary blend of grass-fed beef from Force of Nature, stipulating various primal cuts to create the right lean-to-fat ratio and that the animal be of a certain age. “The regenerative beef we source is cleaner tasting with a deeper, meatier flavor and more unctuousness,” he said.
Right now, five builds feature regenerative meat, each with a memorable name. The Mother Nature layers the grass-fed patty with a pasture-raised egg, a crisp cheddar cheese frico, bourbon onion jam, crispy shallots and au poivre aioli.
Another menu addition is the Regenerative Royale, “the definition of an all-American cheeseburger,” said Schweitzer. The burger features two slices of American cheese, chipotle ketchup and Hopdoddy mayo with flavors of horseradish and mustard, on a house-made “egg” bun similar to a brioche. “It’s not for adventurous eaters,” he said. “It’s more of an entry point burger with familiar flavors.”
Hopdoddy is also sourcing regenerative bison from Force of Nature for two of its burgers. The Buffalo Bill tops the bison patty with blue cheese, steakhouse bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and Hopdoddy mayo. And The Roosevelt Burger—named for that great conservationist, Teddy Roosevelt—is composed of regenerative bison topped with cherry fig jam and honey-whipped goat cheese.
Hopdoddy is currently in the process of transitioning its entire meat supply to regenerative product, but some regular burgers remain on the menu. “Even though there is a slight price premium, people are moving in a regenerative direction when they order our burgers,” said Schweitzer.
The regenerative move extends to chicken, too. The Nashville Hot Sandwich is made with Cooks Venture Regenerative Raised Chicken. “It’s a unique heritage chicken breed that is all pasture raised on a non-GMO foraged diet that may include hazelnut and peach trees. The birds grow slower and help create biodiversity and soil health,” said Schweitzer.
For the sandwich, the chicken is fried crispy and dusted with Nashville hot spices. It’s topped with kale cabbage slaw, avocado mayo, Alabama comeback sauce (a slightly spicier Russian dressing) and pickles.
Earlier this month, Hopdoddy launched the regenerative initiative chainwide, with each location promoting the move with the slogan “Save the Earth … One. Burger. At. A. Time.”
“Simply put, a single burger jumpstarts a regenerative food system proven to cool our planet, purify our air and water, rejuvenate our soil and raise animals like they deserve,” Hopdoddy said in a statement.
Good-bye to plant-based meats, hello sustainable fries
“Dinner should come from the field, not a factory,” said Schweitzer. So to coincide with the awareness-building regenerative meat campaign, Hopdoddy made the decision to remove plant-based meat substitutes from the menu.
Vegetarians and flexitarians still have their choice of a non-meat burger, but the patty is made entirely from vegetables. The black bean and corn patty can be ordered with any build, but is featured topped with goat cheese, avocado, arugula, tomato, onion, basil pesto and chipotle aioli in the El Bandito burger.
Hopdoddy is aiming to be a sustainability leader on the fries front, too. Earlier this month, it became the first burger chain to pledge to go 100% seed oil-free by partnering with Zero Acre Farms. The company produces oil from rain-fed sugarcane, one of the highest yielding crops. The plants are classified as a perennial grass that requires little water and preserves the soil.
The chain’s hand-cut fries, which come to the table in a giant shareable bowl, are now fried in the oil at all 10 Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos, Texas locations. So are the chicken tenders and brussels sprouts. Eventually, the sugarcane-derived cooking oil will roll out chainwide.
Zero Acre Farms oil is not only sustainable, it turns out a better french fry. “The fries absorb less oil and are crispier and lower in calories,” said Schweitzer.
A growing group of consumers has been avoiding seed oils because of their high Omega 6 fats, which can have adverse health effects when heated. Zero Acre Oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Hopdoddy’s menu offers 10 french fry variations, including BBQ Ranch Fries, Nacho Fries, Hot Honey & Sage Sweet Potato Fries and Green Chile Queso Fries.