Slideshow: Portable and affordable menu innovation

KANSAS CITY — Foodservice operators are utilizing handheld formats, beverage innovations and value platforms to garner consumer attention.

Sweetgreen, for example, has introduced a line of wraps to its menu, branching out from the company’s traditional bowls, salads and plated meals. Each wrap is made with an extra virgin olive oil tortilla, and most contain more than 40 grams of protein. Varieties include classic chicken Caesar, chicken jalapeño ranch, Cali chicken club and Korean barbecue chicken.

“We spent years developing this new platform, including creating a new tortilla and sourcing white cheddar and bacon that met our standards, then built each wrap with the same fresh, flavorful ingredients our guests come to us for,” said Jonathan Neman, co-founder and chief executive officer at Sweetgreen.

McDonald’s has launched a line of specialty drinks, including three refreshers and three crafted sodas. The refreshers feature freeze-dried fruit inclusions and popping boba, with such flavors as strawberry watermelon, mango pineapple and blackberry passion fruit. The sodas feature flavor mixers and cold foam toppings, with Sprite berry blast, orange dream and Dirty Dr Pepper varieties.

“Our fans have an obsession with beverages — to them, drinks are more than just drinks,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s USA. “And soon, our beverages won’t just be a reason you come to McDonald’s, they’ll be the reason.”

Subway has developed the Fresh Value Menu, the company’s first value platform that includes 15 entrees under $5. New menu items featured in the value menu include the spicy pepperoni sandwich, with aged pepperoni, pepper jack cheese, Roma tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, jalapeños and sriracha, and the ham and salami sandwich, with Black Forest ham, Genoa salami, bologna, provolone cheese, Roma tomatoes, lettuce, red onions and mayonnaise.