| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.45 |
| Liaison | Keisha Payson |
| Submission Date | May 8, 2024 |
Bowdoin College
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.34 / 6.00 |
Matt
Caiazzo Sourcing and Menu Manager Dining |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
An inventory of food and beverage purchases that qualify as sustainably/ethically produced:
A brief description of the methodology used to conduct the inventory, including the timeframe and how representative samples accounted for seasonal variation (if applicable):
The data is based on purchasing reports generated by our food management system, CBORD. An item purchase report was generated for the timeframe of August 8, 2021 to August 8, 2022. The report was then manually reviewed and evaluated.
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the inventory/assessment?:
| Present? | Included? | |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution | Yes | Yes |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | No | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | No | No |
| Convenience stores | Yes | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | No | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
Bowdoin Dining Service operates two dining halls and three cash operations and provides a campus catering service. Our purchasing staff includes a sourcing and menu manager and three purchasing assistants who actively seek out local products and vendors. Our prime food vendor is PFG-Northcenter. Their local food supply chain has increased dramatically year over year, but we also utilize many local vendors for items like fresh vegetables, beef, fish, shellfish, groceries, and vegetables. We have had a focus on local purchasing since 2002 when we became a charter member of Farm Fresh Connections, a not-for-profit that coordinated the sale of food from local farms to institutions. In 2005, we started our campus organic garden. Our purchasing policies seek to promote a sustainable economy in Maine and New England by spending our considerable food budget locally for goods and services whenever possible. The College purchases fresh local vegetables in season and contracts for off-season deliveries. We buy tomatoes year-round from a local commercial greenhouse operation and our apples from a local orchard. Our in-house meat shop uses Maine beef for all ground beef. Our fish/shellfish is MSC-certified or local. We are part of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute's (GMRI) responsibly harvested seafood branding program and were the first institution to partner with them on their “Out of the Blue” underutilized seafood promotion. Our shell eggs are cage-free, we only use local oats and honey, and we feature fair trade coffees in all operations. Our dining hall menus have a strong emphasis on local cuisine. Traditional recipes are the outcome of the local “terroir” and tie the food to the culture. The Bowdoin Organic Garden continues to be a campus focal point where sustainability, academics and agriculture meet.
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.