University of Connecticut
OP-6: Food and Beverage Purchasing

• Local dairy to include but not limited to: milk, cream and eggnog, feta, goat, and cheddar cheese.
• Local farmers to include but not limited to: strawberries, blueberries, honey, cider, apples, maple syrup, cucumbers, squash, onions, peppers, eggplants, peaches and tomatoes, tofu, turnip and green beans.
• Local/regional ice cream to include but not limited to: Tofutti, Gifford’s ice cream and UCONN Dairy Bar Ice Cream.
• Local/regional fish to include but not limited to: cod, blue fish, lobsters, scallops, flounder and chad.
• Local UCONN eggs/regional eggs to include but not limited to: whole eggs, cage free eggs and liquid eggs.
• Local/regional meats to include but not limited to: pork, ground beef, beef , bacon, ham, and chicken.
• Local beverages to include but not limited to: Hosmer soda, Lyman Orchard Cider, Maple Lane Black Current Juice, Ashlawn Farm Roasted Coffee, Bigelow Tea, UCONN Spring water, Honest Tea and Omar Rain forest Coffee

• Having Connecticut based vendors, such as United Natural Foods, Sysco Foods, Fowlers Produce, allows us to purchase multiple local and regional organic and natural food products.
• Coleman Chicken-free of antibiotics, hormones, steroids, and raised in a stress free environment.
• Gourmavian Farms- Ct raised Italian Roaster Hens.
• Michigan Turkey- free of antibiotics, hormones, steroids, and raised in stress free environment.
• American Italian Pasta-Organic Capellini, Penne, and Linguine
• Mountain Dairy Milk-antibiotic, hormone free-Storrs CT.
• Beltane Farms-goat cheese-Lebanon, CT.
• Green Valley Farm -Berkshire Pork, Eastford, CT
• Normans Sugar House-maple syrup-Woodstock, CT
• Four Mile River Farm, Old Lyme, CT-Local pasture raised beef
• Applegate Farms-Organic Deli Meats
• Cedars-Non GMO-hummus and mediterranean salads
• Rudi’s Organic Breads
• Sunshine Organic Veggie Burgers
• Beyond Meat-pea protein based meat alternative-Non Gmo, organic, gluten free
• Organic, rice, Almond and coconut Milks
• Organic Energy Bars and Snacks-C-stores
•
*Pineland Farms-Maine-Beef

University of Connecticut Department of Dining Services:
• Own and operate our own apiaries-producing 700 pounds a year.
• Largest purchaser of Connecticut grown produce in State of Connecticut according to NOFA.
• UConn bakery-produces baked goods for all our facilities on campus, including organic breads and pastries.
• Have our own UConn Dairy Bar-using local milk to produce high-quality ice cream
• Have our own organic farms –“Spring Valley Farms and Eco Garden” that produces organic produce to assist in supplementing or residential dining facilities and restaurants.
• Fresh Eggs from the University of Connecticut, Department of Agriculture are used in our dining facilities.
• Have established a relationship with our CT based produce supplier to supply us with local produce first, and regional produce second.
· Eggs from Farmer’s Cow

Our fishery program is 100% sustainable-we have worked with our prime vendor to ensure that all fish used on campus meets sustainable standards. (example: Hook and line caught / SFP-Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Caught in USA /ETC. Our goal is to achieve sustainability in all our seafood sources that includes wise management of the fishery and concern for the fishing communities that depend on these resources. (These programs include purchasing local CT based seafood, (Stonington, Ct), Bombster Scallops, flounder, Noank Oysters and Bluefish.
We work in association with Red's Best Fish.

It begins with bid writing with our vendors and establishing expectations up front with our signed contracts. An inventory is provided by our vendors. Third party certifiers come at an additional cost. We have built a data base within our food operating system (Food-Pro) and identify items in our inventory that meet the criteria of sustainable food and beverage.

We at University Dining services feel it is our responsibility to maintain and utilize sustainable practices whenever possible. Below are examples of standards and certifications we abide by.
*100% of all our coffee is Rain Forest Alliance Certified
*UConn dining has received Green Restaurant Certification for our Buckley, Whitney, and Gelfenbien Dining facilities and our goal is to now continue this certification with all our remaining dining facilities. Putnam and South are in the process of being certified, with our goal being to eventually certify 100% of our dining facilities. Green Restaurant Certification takes into account:
1) Water Efficiency
2) Waste Reduction and Recycling
3) Sustainable Furnishings and Building Materials
4) Sustainable Food
5) Energy
6) Disposables
7) Chemical and Pollution Reduction
*Our fishery program is 100% sustainable-we have worked with our prime vendor to ensure that all fish used on campus meets sustainable standards. (example: Hook and line caught / SFP-Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Caught in USA /ETC. Our goal is to achieve sustainability in all our seafood sources that includes wise management of the fishery and concern for the fishing communities that depend on these resources.
*Our institution is the largest user of locally grown produce in the State of Connecticut.
* University of Connecticut are members of Connecticut Farmland preservation-The main objective of the farmland preservation program is to secure a food and fiber producing land resource base, consisting primarily of prime and important farmland soils, for the future of agriculture in Connecticut. We try to accomplish this by preserving active farms that are clustered with other farms, therefore stabilizing a viable farming region.
Members of Slow Food –Slow food’s primary goal is to make agriculture local again, increase sustainability, and promote local businesses (farmers).
Members of “the Real Food Movement” –Uniting students to promote just and sustainable foods.
CT 10% Pledge-We pledge to support Connecticut Farmers by spending 10% of our food and gardening dollars locally. www.Buyctgrown.com

Percentage purchased of cage free eggs: 24%
Type and percentage of hormone-free products (multiple if possible): Milk and Dairy products 100% hormone free, Coleman Chicken Breast 100% hormone-free.
Type and percentage of vegetarian-fed food (multiple products if possible): 15% (ex. vegan ravioli caprese, vegan chicken pot pie, sweet-and-sour tempeh, and vegan tortellini della pangrattato. Vegan French apple squares) UConn Dining has received an A rating from PETA for vegan food in 2015.