Fresh produce is a signature of our menu and we are pushing the envelope to find new and innovative ways, like our investment in greenhouse-grown produce as part of our Fresh Produce Initiative, to bring freshness and peak quality and flavor to every menu item
Wendy’s was the first quick-service restaurant company to make a major investment in produce grown in greenhouses. Why? Because we are always looking to improve the sustainability and quality of our ingredients, and we are excited about what we are seeing. In addition to growing produce year-round with exceptional flavor, higher quality and fewer (or no) pesticides, greenhouses also provide sustainability benefits and a temperature-controlled working environment.
- Tomatoes: Since 2019, we have been sourcing tomatoes for our U.S. and Canadian restaurants exclusively from greenhouse farms. This change has allowed us to source a more reliable product, typically more consistent in size, firmness and color that arrive at each restaurant fresh and flavorful. Greenhouse-grown tomatoes also make the most efficient use of water and fertilizer, eliminate runoff and use natural Integrated Pest Management methods such as beneficial insects like ladybugs to make pesticides a last resort.
- Lettuce: In 2020, Wendy’s transitioned the lettuce served in Wendy’s restaurants in Canada to greenhouse-grown lettuce. Our suppliers’ greenhouses capture waste heat and carbon dioxide, reducing emissions and creating a self-sufficient source of electricity and heating, while saving water (up to 90% savings from traditional growing methods). This lettuce is also grown without the use of pesticides. Wendy’s is actively exploring the potential for greenhouse-grown lettuce in the U.S.
Potatoes are a signature part of the Wendy's menu, and by weight, Wendy's sells more potatoes than any of our other priority food categories. We continue to make strides in advancing our responsible sourcing goal in this important priority food category through active industry engagement and in close partnership with our suppliers.
- Wendy's joined the Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) in 2023, and in addition to membership, we also hold a buyer seat on the governing board that enables us to help shape PSA's standards and initiatives. Alongside its members, PSA works to improve the economic, environmental and social aspects of potato production in the U.S. and Canada and aims to foster a comprehensive approach to sustainability and a standardized reporting framework based on the globally recognized Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) standard.
- We expect our potato suppliers to engage in the PSA, or align with a similar framework, as part of our responsible sourcing efforts. We report progress on our efforts toward our responsible sourcing goal annually in our Corporate Responsibility report.