Fresh Thoughts from Christina Pumo

My name is Christina Pumo, and I am proud to say that I am Fresh & Co’s newest team member, and brand ambassador. If you've had a chance to pop in to one of our stores, you may have seen me greeting guests or handing out some fresh samples. Let me start by saying that I am a vegan and I was searching for a restaurant company to work for that fit my lifestyle completely. So it was a pleasant surprise when I came across Fresh & Co. and found that not only do they have a primarily meat based line of products but they took the time and care to address vegan and vegetarian needs as well. I felt Fresh & Co was a fine advocate that mirrored my own lifestyle.
It seems to me that the health movement has really made an impact, especially right here in New York City. Every block seems to offer some kind of healthy option, or proudly bear the word organic on their store window. Being a conscious eater myself, I always question how “healthy” those other options really are, or if those products truly are organic. It’s always refreshing when you find “your place” that you can trust and I'm not just saying this because I'm the Ambassador. Working at Fresh and Co has made my lunch time an exciting part of my day, because I know where all the ingredients come from, and I see the food being made all day long. Fresh & Co posts information about their food inside every store on chalkboards, highlighting the local farms we get our fresh and (in some cases) organic product from, so you can trust that you are eating healthily.
Fresh & Co brings in a wide range of clientele, and provides a healthy option for all eaters – vegans, vegetarians, and sympathetic omnivores.
People seem to get confused between the definitions of vegan, vegetarian, organic, all-natural and “free range,” so let me help clear it up a bit for you:
What’s the difference between vegans and vegetarians? Vegetarians quite simply don’t eat any kind of meat. This includes: meat, poultry, and fish. You will not find any sort of meat in a vegetarian diet. As for vegans, we don’t eat anything derived from animals, or anything with animals products in it and it’s a whole lifestyle that plays a role in anything you use, or buy. Anything from house-hold cleaning products to your everyday toothpaste; if it has any animal product in it, it’s not vegan.
What’s the difference between organic, free range and “all natural”? By definition according to the USDA, organic food is produced by farmers who enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. And organic growers only use natural fertilizers and no pesticides.
Free range involves providing open air and natural light access to animals instead of confining them to barns.
And as for all-natural, this includes food that needs little or no processing and has undergone minimal processing, containing no preservatives or artificial flavors or additives.
Fresh & Co. is about being a part of something that encourages healthy and conscious living, offering plenty of options to help you meet all of your dietary choices.

Have questions? Feel free to contact me directly at info@freshandconyc.com. I look forward to hearing from you!