University of Massachusetts Amherst
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.40 / 6.00 |
Kathy
Wicks Sustainability Director Auxiliary Enterprises |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
19.47
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
41
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 UMass Dining Sustainability Department is comprised of 3 full-time staff members and annually has between 5-12 student interns. Two team members, 2 student interns, and a buyer from our procurement team analyze our purchasing software (FoodPro) monthly, in order to track progress and monitor trends of local and sustainable foods. This in-depth analysis allows the UMass Dining Sustainability team to make recommendations and projections for future spending in relation to our goals. We met our 2020 Real Food Challenge, with the calculator confirming 29% of our total F&B procurement to be local/sustainable. We also align with New England Feeding New England's goal of by 2030 30% what is consumed is New England is Grown in New England, and similarly, the Food Solutions New England goal of by 2060, 50% of what is consumed in New England is grown in New England. We are also year over year increasing our plant forward menu items
At UMass Dining, our 3 week menu cycles are adapted to what is seasonally available. In the summer and fall we source tremendous amount of fresh produce to maximize what is seasonally available. We capture the fresh harvest by using the Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) technique which extends our supply of local foods. In the winter we utilize locally sourced meat and dairy as well as storage crops such as squash, root vegetables, apples, greens, and mushrooms. We also tap into four season markets through farmers who use extended growing season techniques such as greenhouse crops, hydroponics, and climate controlled storage facilities.
At UMass Dining, our 3 week menu cycles are adapted to what is seasonally available. In the summer and fall we source tremendous amount of fresh produce to maximize what is seasonally available. We capture the fresh harvest by using the Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) technique which extends our supply of local foods. In the winter we utilize locally sourced meat and dairy as well as storage crops such as squash, root vegetables, apples, greens, and mushrooms. We also tap into four season markets through farmers who use extended growing season techniques such as greenhouse crops, hydroponics, and climate controlled storage facilities.
If reporting Real/Good Food Calculator results, provide:
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 | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | Yes | Yes |
| Convenience stores | No | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | Yes | Yes |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
$10 million or more
Optional Fields
UMass Dining dedicates resources for its own Sustainability Department including a Director of Sustainability to sit at the Auxiliary Enterprises senior leader team. This position is responsible for continued support a resilient New England food system and connecting the dining program to climate action through planetary health strategies. The UMass Dining Program continues to increase local and sustainable food sourcing, create a cost defensible model for other institutions, and provide continued education and engagement opportunities for our campus community to understand sustainable food systems and connect food to climate action.
Sourcing and Procurement Highlights:
-UMass Dining sources from over 100 local farmers and businesses with almost 20 of them direct purchases and the rest are sourced through a very small supply chain through our primary distributor or local aggregator who purchase directly from other farms.
-We have an agreement with our prime produce vendor that local and regionally sourced items should be used first before sourcing elsewhere
-100% local milk is used in our 4 Dining Commons.
- Source produce from the UMass Student Farming Enterprise, the UMass Amherst apple orchard Cold Spring, and our 5 on-campus permaculture gardens in addition to our local farms
- Utilize individually quick frozen (IQF) techniques to extend the time that we can supply local fruits and vegetables
- Source free range turkeys from Diemand Farms located within 20 miles of campus
- Source some free range local chicken, beef and pork within 250 miles from campus for use in all of our Dining Commons
- Incorporates wild and foraged ingredients into menu cycles, such as fiddleheads, when seasonally appropriate
-100% spring rolls are hand rolled, using local vegetables when seasonally appropriate, from a local family restaurant
-100% local honey
-Local maple syrup
- 100% organic, free-range eggs
-Serve organic and fair trade coffee
-Sourcing more underutilized, local fish
- The majority of seafood served through UMass Dining is third party certified sustainably sourced.
- One local produce aggregator (Joe Czajkowski Farm, just 2 miles from campus) brokers for about 20 additional local farms in order to allow UMass Dining to source as much local produce as possible
-Utilize farm bi-products, like broccoli and cauliflower leaves into menu planning.
Sourcing and Procurement Highlights:
-UMass Dining sources from over 100 local farmers and businesses with almost 20 of them direct purchases and the rest are sourced through a very small supply chain through our primary distributor or local aggregator who purchase directly from other farms.
-We have an agreement with our prime produce vendor that local and regionally sourced items should be used first before sourcing elsewhere
-100% local milk is used in our 4 Dining Commons.
- Source produce from the UMass Student Farming Enterprise, the UMass Amherst apple orchard Cold Spring, and our 5 on-campus permaculture gardens in addition to our local farms
- Utilize individually quick frozen (IQF) techniques to extend the time that we can supply local fruits and vegetables
- Source free range turkeys from Diemand Farms located within 20 miles of campus
- Source some free range local chicken, beef and pork within 250 miles from campus for use in all of our Dining Commons
- Incorporates wild and foraged ingredients into menu cycles, such as fiddleheads, when seasonally appropriate
-100% spring rolls are hand rolled, using local vegetables when seasonally appropriate, from a local family restaurant
-100% local honey
-Local maple syrup
- 100% organic, free-range eggs
-Serve organic and fair trade coffee
-Sourcing more underutilized, local fish
- The majority of seafood served through UMass Dining is third party certified sustainably sourced.
- One local produce aggregator (Joe Czajkowski Farm, just 2 miles from campus) brokers for about 20 additional local farms in order to allow UMass Dining to source as much local produce as possible
-Utilize farm bi-products, like broccoli and cauliflower leaves into menu planning.
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
UMass Dining Sustainability Accomplishments:
-Voted #1 Best Campus Food by the Princeton Review 6 years in a row.
-In the spring of 2022, launched and A-E carbon rating for our menu items that have been scaled up to include all of the menu items at our 4 large DCs. This analysis is conducted by My Emissions, a third party consultant who analyses recipes by ingredient and amount.
- Met the Real Food Challenge Campus Commitment of 20% real food by 2020 with 29%
- Continue the Lean, Low Carbon, Local Proteins Initiative, increasing sourcing, expand distribution, and create solutions to protein procurement regionally
-UMass Dining is the first university in the country to provide SPE Certified meals
- Since 2015 more than 30% of our menu is Plant Based Proteins
-Hampshire Dining Commons is a national model for sustainable campus dining
-In our 6th year of an initiative called UMass Fresh, a new outlet for regionally sourced homemade meals to the campus community
-Our free "How To Guide for Foodservice Operators" is a resource for other institutions to implement in their own operations, including other Higher Ed Institutions, K-12, and Health Sector. This guide can be found at localumass.com
-Voted #1 Best Campus Food by the Princeton Review 6 years in a row.
-In the spring of 2022, launched and A-E carbon rating for our menu items that have been scaled up to include all of the menu items at our 4 large DCs. This analysis is conducted by My Emissions, a third party consultant who analyses recipes by ingredient and amount.
- Met the Real Food Challenge Campus Commitment of 20% real food by 2020 with 29%
- Continue the Lean, Low Carbon, Local Proteins Initiative, increasing sourcing, expand distribution, and create solutions to protein procurement regionally
-UMass Dining is the first university in the country to provide SPE Certified meals
- Since 2015 more than 30% of our menu is Plant Based Proteins
-Hampshire Dining Commons is a national model for sustainable campus dining
-In our 6th year of an initiative called UMass Fresh, a new outlet for regionally sourced homemade meals to the campus community
-Our free "How To Guide for Foodservice Operators" is a resource for other institutions to implement in their own operations, including other Higher Ed Institutions, K-12, and Health Sector. This guide can be found at localumass.com
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