Two and a half decades ago, Bon Appétit Management Company created an industry-changing local purchasing policy called Farm to Fork. We were motivated by the pursuit of flavor, seeking out the freshest, best-tasting ingredients, which we quickly learned most often came from local farms. Thus, our Farm to Fork Program was born. Since 1999, our goal has been for operators to spend at least 20% of their annual food budgets on ingredients produced by small, owner-operated farms, ranches, and artisan food businesses located within 150 miles of their kitchens.
It’s now 25 years later, and as a leader in local purchasing in the food service industry, we’ve learned so much about how to forge meaningful relationships with local partners. After years of conducting internal research with purchasing data and interviews with our own chefs, we’ve decided to release our findings to provide shared opportunities for learning to improve local food purchasing outcomes throughout the industry. Check out the full paper at this link: “Sowing Success: Local Food Purchasing Insights from 25 Years of the Farm to Fork Program”.
Here are our three main takeaways:
1) Cultivate strong relationships between farmers, chefs, and guests.
Maintaining mutual trust and open communication between chefs and farmers is essential to develop reliable local supply chains. And when team members are given the tools and support to invest in the mission of the company , it leads to greater retention which translates to higher local purchasing numbers and sustainability outcomes. Engaging guests with where their food comes from is an important step in establishing greater awareness and transparency of your operation and local commitments.
2) Source ingredients year-round to raise local purchasing percentages (without breaking the bank!)
Opting for local higher volume products that are needed year-round, such as chicken, roasted coffee, and bread removes some of the logistical barriers of establishing new purchasing orders in addition to rotating seasonal products. We found that more money spent per guest does not correlate with higher Farm to Fork scores, dispelling the notion that local food requires larger food budgets and instead relies on strategic purchasing agreements and menu planning.
3) Embrace what makes your local food system unique!
Over our two research phases, we found that specific geographies and weather patterns don’t align with higher or lower Farm to Fork scores. To that end, there are many ways to support local producers regardless of the length of the growing season in your region. There is no one-size-fits-all approach in adapting to work with your local food system given the fact that “local” is defined by your unique geography and access to vendors.
We are grateful for all our teams in their ongoing commitment to strengthening our partnerships with Farm to Fork partners across the country, and excited to harness this milestone as a chance to look towards a future of food that is more transparent, delicious, and close to home.