Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee

Jay Ferro

Founder and CEO, Nutricate Corp.
Santa Barbara - CA US

As a recent college graduate in the early 1990’s, Jay Ferro founded Silvergreens, one of the earliest of the now-popular category of “fast-casual” restaurants. While in the restaurant business Jay recognized the need for more convenient and meaningful ways of providing nutritional information to consumers, but at that time consumers were not yet interested in receiving nutritional information from restaurants. In 2004, ten years after conceiving the concept and receiving the patents, Jay realized the right time was approaching and founded his new business, Nutricate. Facing rising healthcare insurance costs and consumers’ growing interest in health and nutrition, state and city governments are increasingly pressuring the food service industry to disclose nutrition information. Recognizing this problem, Jay founded Nutricate to help restaurants communicate nutritional information by providing personalized nutrition information to their customers in one of the most convenient formats possible – receipts. Making smart nutritional choices is more important than ever, but also more difficult as we have more options, dine out more frequently and our hectic lifestyles give us less time to make smart choices. The Nutricate receipt enables consumers to navigate their choices and understand how they can easily eat more nutritiously.

Comments

Jay has come up with a fantastic idea. For years, I've tried to watch what I eat but always seem to sabotage my diet every time I go out to eat. Now with Nutricate's technology, I will be able to monitor the food I'm eating when I eat out as well. Someone should have thought of this a long time ago.
Spencer - Lehi, Utah

Jay combined thoughtfulness and business ingenuity to create a product that helps customers eat more healthily without additional effort. This boosts brand loyalty for food service providers who offer the receipt.
Mike Arnone - Herndon, VA

Way to go Jay. We need to know what restaurants are putting in the food we eat.
Ben Jolley - Springville, UT

This is a great idea that falls prefectly in line with social concerns and values.
Mark - Spanish Fork, UT

Truly a foodservice industry visionary, entrepreneur, and inventor, Jay Ferro focuses on products that change people’s lives and address industry needs.
Peter Matus - Salt Lake City, Utah

I love this idea!
Justin Whittaker - Highland, Utah

Jay has a tendency to be ahead of the curve and seems to have an amazing ability to anticipate market need. Very impressive. As someone that is working hard to track what I eat, this is a fabulous service.
Mike Bradshaw - Alpine, UT

Very interesting. Would love it if my local restaurants would implement this receipt!
Emily - Richards

Excellent Idea!! I would love to know what healthy choices are available at resturants.
A. Stimpson - Sacramento, CA

Good idea, lousy name.
Matt - La Jolla, CA

Very interesting idea and article.
Joyce Woodland - Carmichael, CA

Have used the Nutricate receipt to monitor my caloric intake...Thank you Jay!...Bruce Severance-Carmichael, CA
Bruce Severance - Carmichael, CA

Genius...Pure Genius!
Ron Gleiberman - Santa Barbara, CA

nutricate is a great idea!
Heather Worms - San Diego, CA

finally some who cares what is served to the public.
Nancy - Belmont, California

Such an important tool for restaurants, but also for schools , hospitals and even senior living facilities
Marie - Tacoma, Washington

Santa Barbarans love Nutricate! We want to see this throughout the rest of the country! Janean - Santa Barbara, California
Janean Daniels - Santa Barbara, CA

Jay is nothing short of creative, always thinking ahead. The American food industry definitely needs Nutricate because it will bring health awareness to the masses. As others have said... pure genius!
Sadhana Akella Mishra - New York, NY

This is a terrific idea! I'm a weight watcher and to be able to easily calculate the points of what I'm about to eat is very valuable. It's a big market audience (no pun intended)!
Susan - San Jose, CA

Definitely an idea whose time has come! I would be very excited to see this product in all fast casual venues.
Helen A. - Santa Barbara, CA

Jay is right on tagert with his new Nutricate system. It's what Americans need for a healthier life style
Michael Solondz - Esat Brunswick, NJ

This is a great business idea and the timing couldn't be better.
Brian Hunter - Huntington Beach, CA

The messages on the receipt have helped me refine my orders to decrease my calory intake. A great tool for helping solve the obesity problem.
FJA - Seattle, WA

Great idea--the timing is right; the potential is enormous!
Peggy - Lake Oswego, OR

So many people eat outside of the home. Since diet contributes so much to our health, what better way to empower the consumer than to provide nutritional information that addresses restaurant food. Jay's concept should be universal, as it is for the food we buy in supermarkets.
Andrew Goldstein - Portland, Oregon

Great idea, I would love to see this in my area
Joe - Chicago, IL

Nutricate is a great idea. My nephew is a diabetic and it can be difficult to eat out at restaurants. Nutricate provides information that is vital for my someone like my nephew. It is an invaluable tool!
Lori - San Francisco, CA

Nutricate has made eating out that much easier for me. Now I can go to my favorite restaurant after the gym and not backtrack on all that I have worked out for. It is an awesome idea and a great step towards a healthier country!
Whitney - Santa Barbara, California

This is an important step in the evolution of nutrition information, and will hopefully become the status quo in the resturant industry in the future. Kudos
Todd Kupke - Orange, California

What a great way for us to make informed choices about what we are eating !
Deena - Santa Barbara, CA

The Nutricate receipt is a wonderful concept and is perfect for today's weight-conscience public.
Marty Cerles - San Francisco, CA

Jay is GREAT!!!!
Dr. Halina Offner - Portland,OR

Fabulous Idea. I can't wait until I can check out Silvergreens, I have heard so much about it from my friends in SB.
Tracy Clements - San Francisco, CA

Simple, timely and elegant.
Shahab Fatheazam - Chicago,Il

Jay Ferro along with his partner Brian Rocha have really hit the nail on the head with the Nutricate receipt. Not only is their food excellent; you have the opportunity to monitor your calloric intake. Jay was intrumental in the development of the nutricate receipt, and deserves to be recognized for caring about the health of his patrons.
Vern Gebhardt - Manteca, CA

What a fantastic way to help everyone lead healthier lives
Brock - Portland, Oregon

Every restaurant should provide customized nutrition information!
Lindsey Svete - Santa Barbara, CA

This has tremendous international potential-- especially in the UAE and Saudi Arabia where childhood obesity and diabetes is a major health problem.
Lisa Hunter - Abu Dhabi, UAE

Jay has the unwaivering drive and commitment that is making Nutricate a success. And, I have had the good fortune to see what that success means as I have watched the overwhelmingly positive reaction of the many people who have received the nutritional and educational information on Nutricate receipts.
Mike Augarten - Santa Barbara, CA

Love it! Someone who cares about educating society on how to make better eating choices in a very effective and creative way.
Kristen - Phoenix, AZ

looking ahead into the future
Dennis Rocha - Oakland, CA

Visionary.
Tom Hunter - Incline Village, NV

Consumers need a convenient and simple way to make and record informed food selction decisions in restaurants/schools/corporate cafeaterias. Food providers need to deliver this important information in a cost effective method. Everybody wins with Jay's idea. Great culinary and entrepeneurial idea on display here. Has my vote.
Gerry Child - Olympia, WA

This idea is pure gold. Great name as well.
Blake - Santa Barbara, CA

Brilliant!
Jez Whittaker - Highland, UT

What an excellent idea!
Shannon - Springville, UT

What an amazing idea and Jay is truly always ahead of the curve!
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Great idea! There is definitely a demand for this product. If the restaurant industry doesn’t embrace this technology on its own, regulators are likely to force the issue. Either way, Nutricate is well positioned to dominate the food service industry.
Dave Barker - Las Vegas, NV

Congratulations, Jay! Your concept is wonderful. As a consumer, I would certainly appreciate having that information at my fingertips.
KC Tiffany - Lacey, WA

Anything such as this, which makes it easier to make good choices, is valuable.
John Mechelsen - Sammamish, WA

Simple and useful. Excellent.
Brian - Seattle, WA

Great idea. Can't wait to see Nutricate implemented in a lot of places.
Fernando C. - San Francisco, CA

Lots of potential! With so much emphasis on health, I can imagine lots of expansion ideas.
Ben - Lake Oswego, OR

I think Nutricate is a terrific concept for all of us - I look forward to its availability - thanks!
M. Ditlevson - Olympia, Wa.

I think Nutricate is a terrific concept for all of us - I look forward to its availability - thanks!
M. Ditlevson - Olympia, Wa.

Brilliant idea and one we all can use for healthier eating. Go, Jay, go!
Connie - East Wenatchee, WA

This is such a great idea. I would definitely go to a restaurant if they used the Nutricate receipt1
Terry - Los Angeles, Ca

Jay is simply a brilliant entrepreneur!
Marie - Goleta, California

A very innovative idea!
Jean Severance - Fair Oaks, CA

A wonderful tool to help us know what we are eating.
Don Severance - Fair Oaks, CA

What a great idea! Food may taste great but we really need to know how good it is for us. In the fast paced world in which we live, Nutricate is a valuable tool to keep us healthy.
Gisele Child-Olmsted - Bethesda, MD

Congrats Jay! I think this is an amazing product and needs to be available in all food service locations. What about college cafeterias? This could be quite beneficial to the college audience! Absolutely amazing work.
Whitney Child - Pullman, WA

Great idea and I really hope it is applied in school cafeterias (and sent home to parents whose kids buy food at school).
Kathy McElroy - Bethesda, Md.

Thank goodness Jay figured out how to get the information to the consumer. A terrific tool for all of us to use to improve our own health.
Dick Ditlevson - Olympia, Wa.

This is a wonderful idea! Great job.
Julie Alexander - Olympia, WA

Great!
H. Christenson - Olympia, WA

What a great tool!
M Shumway - Olympia, WA

Great concept! I think all of us want to know, or should know, what we are putting into our bodies. The ease with which Nuritcate provides that information is revolutionary.
Scott Kee - Olympia, Wa

Great idea - it should have been done long ago!!
Saxon Rodgers - Olympia, Wa. 98501

As an individual who cannot eat gluten, this is a real tool for people who need to know what we're eating. Great job, Jay. Thanks for your innovation!
Sandy Wall - Olympia, WA

Bravo! This is critical information we all need.
Margie - Smitch

Knowledge is power. Great idea, Jay!
Cathy - Olympia, WA

This is long overdue. Keep puching to make it happen.
Curt Smitch - Olympia, WA

The idea is not only helpful to consumers who otherwise must navigate restaurant nutritional information by crystal ball, but also provides a valuable incentive for restaurants to provide a greater range of healthy alternatives.
Bruce Busch - Seattle, WA

Great idea Jay! It will certainly help us make smarter choices!
B. Rodgers - Olympia, WA

I love this concept. I would love to see it in my market.
A. Tucker - Seattle, WA

I love this solution. Jay is great!
Dan Grotenhuis - Santa Barbara, CA

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