Award-Winning Partnership: UVM and Intervale Champion Local Food in Vermont

Campus
Nov. 20, 2024

Phil HartyVice President of Commercial Growth, Sodexo Campus

Group photo of Sodexo, UVM, and Intervale representatives holding a $2,500 check for the Intervale Farmer Recovery Fund.

In the U.S. today, local food producers face complex challenges when it comes to growing their business. So, what helps them find success on a larger scale? Collaboration. Together with our partners in higher education, Sodexo Campus is proud to offer opportunities for small farms and vendors to get involved with a larger network of sustainability-minded producers. As a team, we’re building a thriving local food supply chain in Vermont — one where local farms are empowered to grow their mission, their business, and the resilience of their communities.

Expanding Local Sourcing With a $150K Grant

The health of our regional food systems has never been more urgent, and our partners in Vermont are leading the way in tackling this important issue. I’m proud to share that the University of Vermont (UVM) and the Intervale Center were awarded the 2024 New England Food Vision Prize by The Henry P. Kendall Foundation.

With the $150,000 grant, our partners will enhance local sourcing across college campuses to build a resilient, interconnected food network in the Burlington, Vermont, area. This effort will support Vermont’s local economy by creating inclusive market opportunities for local producers, including diverse-owned and small- to medium-scale farm food businesses.

Building Community Through Great Food

During my time as the Senior Vice President of Operations in the region, I had the honor of supporting the launch of the Vermont First program. That was 10 years ago, and now Sodexo is even more deeply committed to bringing “local” to the forefront of campus dining. This commitment is about more than nourishing students with incredible food. It’s about making a difference one meal at a time.

AtSodexo,webelievethatwhatstudentseatmatters—notonlytotheirhealthbutalsotothelocalcommunitiesandenvironmentsthatproducetheirfood.OurworkwithUVMandtheIntervaleCenterisaboutbuildingafuturewherecampusesandcommunitiesareinterconnected,sustainable,andresilient.

Phil HartyVice President of Sales, Sodexo Campus

At Sodexo Campus, we’re passionate about building communities that unleash student potential, helping them grow into engaged young adults ready to change the world. Our partnership with the Intervale Food Hub — an approved vendor for UVM Dining since 2015 — has been a key part of this effort, connecting UVM’s dining services with 40 Vermont-based farms to serve 13,000 meals per day. Food Hub typically delivers produce to campus 24 to 48 hours after harvest, ensuring students enjoy only the freshest local and organic foods.

This is of utmost importance at Sodexo. Here’s why: we truly believe that what students eat matters — not only to their health but also to the local communities and environments that produce their food. Our work with UVM and Intervale is about building a future where campuses and communities are interconnected, sustainable, and resilient.

Making a Lasting Impact

There are more than 200 colleges and universities across New England, and each one is home to thousands of students. They’re searching for meaningful food experiences, and 65% consider sustainable food to markedly improve their quality of life.* Our partnership with UVM and Intervale Food Hub is a testament to the power of shared goals. The New England Food Vision Prize will allow us to expand access to fresh, local foods, supporting both the local economy and the values of students who care deeply about sustainable dining.

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Thispartnershipisatestamenttothepowerofsharedgoals.TheNewEnglandFoodVisionPrizewillallowustoexpandaccesstofresh,localfoods,supportingboththelocaleconomyandthevaluesofstudentswhocaredeeplyaboutsustainabledining.

Phil Harty Vice President of Sales, Sodexo Campus

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Campus dining has the power to make a lasting impact on our regional food systems. Thoughtful sourcing doesn’t just nourish the body and planet — it also ensures students feel their priority of eating sustainably is respected, heard, and honored.

Freshly harvested fruits and vegetables alongside a loaf of bread.

Building a Better Tomorrow Together

At Sodexo, we’re committed to leading the way toward resilient, regional food systems that connect our campuses to the communities they serve. I’m excited to see how UVM and Intervale leverage this grant. From boosting students’ access to fresh, local foods to supporting the farmers who are the backbone of Vermont’s food economy, our journey toward sustainability is a powerful reminder of the huge difference we can make when campuses, nonprofits, and corporate partners team up with a shared mission to build a better tomorrow.

*Sustainable Food Barometer. https://www.sodexo.com/news/newsroom/2024/international-sustainable-food-barometer-2nd-edition. 2nd ed., Toluna in partnership with Sodexo Group, 2024.