Introduction
The College and University Market Sector is very unique in the sense that it can charge what it wants while still maintaining a steady demand. Why? Most freshmen at colleges and universities are required to both live on campus and purchase a meal plan, a meal plan of which has a fixed amount, and the plan only binding itself to the dining hall(s) on campus. In lieu of this required purchase, universities like Virginia Tech both ask for and attentively listen to the student’s responses about their dining experiences and requests. With the current millennial generation being the majority in colleges and universities today, we can assume one thing: a greater demand for healthier, locally grown, “natural” foods. The millennial generation today not only takes up the majority of the United States’ population by composing 26% of it, but they’re also the most health-conscious and active generation, meaning demands for healthier foods. To the average consumer, healthier foods are often perceived to be locally grown foods. Knowing this demand, growers like you can perhaps penetrate the market sector for universities and colleges in order to meet the demand of millennials in one way or another.
Through a research study conducted through Harvard’s Food Law and Policy Clinic, the contributors highlight the importance of how universities and colleges should be capitalizing on the increasing demand of buying and eating local. They recommend that state colleges and universities gain a “competitive edge” by being more transparent with their food procurement practices. This in turn could raise the colleges’ and universities’ public ranking and would therefore give themselves a competitive edge in student recruitment.
Survey Findings
The college and university sector represents a greater level of complexity in the actual procurement of food. Across Virginia, there are about 60 public and private universities, excluding community colleges. Since larger institutions, like colleges and universities, are typically connected to larger, broad-line, food service companies, the survey showed that less than 10% of produce was sourced locally. Because of these existing relationships and other major hurdles, like volume, deliverability of product, and food safety policies, these institutions were limited in their ability to make business connections with local producers. In cases where institutions had greater flexibility and commitment to sourcing more locally produced food, they were open to establishing new ties. Growers would need to talk to the directors of dining services to figure out who their current suppliers are, as well as what interest lay in outsourcing from a local grower.
Purchasing Priorities & Barriers
Priorities
Barriers
Farm to Institution New England (FINE)
Learn more about the many initiatives taking place in New England.
Some of the exciting FINE work relevant to market access include the following links:
Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic
Tools for Advocates: Increasing Local Food Procurement by State Agencies, Colleges, and Universities.
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia A website providing lists of the different types of colleges and universities in the state of Virginia.