| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.14 |
| Liaison | Bremen Leak |
| Submission Date | July 10, 2024 |
Brigham Young University
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.33 / 6.00 |
Bremen
Leak Associate Director Sustainability & Continuity |
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):
BYU Dining Services analyzed purchases from July 2022 through June 2023 to calculate the percentage of plant-based foods and beverages.
As noted below, the reported percentage (10%) of BYU's total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced derives entirely from what BYU buys from a local, institution-affirmed dairy farm. Other expenditures were not reported, given the complexity of tracking third-party certifications. The Real/Good Food Calculator could not be used, as the Real Food Challenge website is now defunct.
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 | Yes | Yes |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | Yes | Yes |
| Convenience stores | Yes | Yes |
| Vending services | Yes | Yes |
| Concessions | Yes | Yes |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
BYU feeds 40,000 people per day, from campus dining halls to catering events to the nearby Missionary Training Center. As an NCAA Division I-A school, BYU also feeds thousands of athletics fans throughout the year, from its 63,470-seat football stadium to its 18,987-seat basketball arena and beyond.
BYU produces 700 products, including ice cream (about 175,000 gallons per year) made with milk from an institution-affirmed dairy farm, located 30 miles away (10% of annual spend). This dairy farm uses sustainable and fair processes and has a short, traceable supply chain.
An audit performed by Dining Services and Purchasing found that more than one-fourth of all food purchased (27%) was locally sourced, defined as within a 250-mile radius, although that is not captured in this report. About 24% of all food purchased was plant-based, as noted in the Food and Beverage Purchasing Inventory.
One of BYU's best-selling items is the 15-inch Cougar Tail, requiring 4,500 pounds of dough and 70 buckets of maple topping for each home football game. In 2021, BYU sold an average of 8,500 Cougar Tails per game, which have twice been named ESPN’s Concessions Food of the Year. In 2024, BYU switched its Cougar Tail packaging from a paper bag produced in China to a locally sourced, recyclable cardboard box.
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.