Lettuce Beet pedals good food

By Erika Roy, October 2 2014 —

The Lettuce Beet Food Trike pedalled its way into business this summer, selling salads to downtown lunch-goers while putting a healthy and sustainable twist on Calgary’s food truck scene.

While working downtown, Lettuce Beet’s creator Kirsten Lankester was having trouble finding a lunch that fit her criteria — one that she felt good about, didn’t take much time to grab and was reasonably priced.

“I thought there was a gap in the market, especially in fast food where you could get something super quick but still feel really good about what you were eating,” Lankester says.

All of Lettuce Beet’s salads are gluten free, with vegan, paleo, high-protein and dairy-free options available. The salads are full of superfoods, including beets, coconut, kale and a variety of seeds. Lankester is committed to using certified organic ingredients which are sourced locally as much as possible.

Lankester also places importance on operating in an environmentally friendly way. Lettuce Beet’s salads are sold in recyclable and compostable containers, and the company composts and provides recycling bins at its vending location. The trike also uses pedal power, cutting energy.

The socially conscious food trike had a successful first summer in downtown Calgary.

“I think people are more aware not just of what they’re eating, but of how businesses impact community and the environment,” Lankester says. “I think with the growing awareness, if you are a business, and you don’t put that into place, you’re losing customers.”

Lankester has yet to decide if Lettuce Beet will continue during the winter or if it will remain a seasonal trike.