CHARLOTTE, NC (November 15, 2010)—Customers of Compass Group USA enjoyed the fall flavors as thousands of its locations featured the 2nd annual ‘It Takes You—Eat Local’ campaign this past September. Across the country, cafes promoted locally grown produce, conducted on-site farmers markets, sponsored farm tours and used local ingredients in an effort to provide visibility to the many benefits of buying locally.
Defined as food grown within a 150 mile radius, local food purchases tallied $3,302,336 during the month of September. To compare, last year’s campaign totaled $2,926,708, an 11.4% increase.
Complementing the campaign was the Ag in the Middle program (AITM) which rolled out nationally in May 2010, based on the success of pilots in North Carolina, Minnesota and the Washington, DC area in 2009.
It brings the produce of mid-sized farms faster and more efficiently
into Compass Group’s supply chain and onto customers’ plates through
their network of distributors across the country. The goal is to support
local communities and the viability of the mid-sized American family
farm. Compass Group tracked a substantial 25% year-over-year increase in
local produce purchases across the country in 2010 as a result of the
expansion of the AITM program.
JoAnne Berkenkamp, Program Director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy,
explains, “For farmers, the market for locally grown product can be as
unpredictable as the weather. By contrast, Compass Group’s deepening
commitment to buying locally lets mid-sized farmers know there is a
buyer for their product, one who values stable relationships with
producers and strives for fairness in their business dealings. The local
food supply chains that Compass is catalyzing are growing stronger each
year. With the national roll-out of Compass’ Ag in the Middle
initiative in 2010, we are now seeing that effort come to fruition. The
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy is proud to partner with
Compass in this work.”
As part of their commitment to sustainable
agriculture and wellness, Compass Group has been supporting ‘buy local’
initiatives for many years, formalized in a company-wide initiative in
2007. Purchasing is done through approved produce distributors to ensure
food safety and traceability.
Once again, ‘It Takes You–Eat Local’ was one of the company’s most successful promotions. Thousand of accounts participated, with strong support in the corporate dining world and on university campuses. In Eurest Dining Services, participating client locations included Procter & Gamble (OH, CT, and MD) and Boeing (WA). Chartwells Higher Education at the University at Albany and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County had much success.
Marc Zammit, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives and Culinary, Compass Group USA explains, "Our Eat Local campaign is always a great opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our local communities. We’re creating positive changes in the lives of local farmers and their families across the country while serving the freshest and best locally-grown products to our customers. This campaign continues to gain momentum due to the commitment of our chefs and foodservice managers in the field."
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