Food data

Objective O10

By 2025, 40% of all Food Services food and beverage purchases are produced on-site, locally, or are third-party certified for sustainability

Progress: Mostly complete

A pie chart three-quarters full, illustrating that the objective is mostly complete

Description: Waterloo’s Food Services team has substantially expanded its local food purchases throughout 2019, and continues to expand its purchases of food products that have an environmental certification. The University is on track to reach its 2025 objective. There was a decrease in 2024 due to cost-savings measures to slice local vegetables in-house rather than purchase them pre-sliced, a change which also reduces waste.

Methodology

Boundary

All campuses, excluding Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo.

Methodology

Limitations and Exclusions: Does not include student-run coffee and donut shops, International News, or franchise locations.

Food categories: Local food purchases is based on the percentage of total food purchases that have the Foodland Ontario designation. Percentage is based on dollar value of the purchases between Food Services and the vendor. Note that this is different than the STARS definition of being within 250 miles, although there is a strong overlap since the majority of agricultural land in Ontario is within this limit.

Waterloo evaluates sustainably certified food as any food item that bears a credible 3rd party certification for environmental, social, and/or economic sustainability:

  • Fairtrade certified coffee, tea, and cocoa products, which help support farmers with sustainable livelihoods, promote community development, and protect ecosystems
  • Marine Stewardship Council certified seafood, which ensures fishing practices protect marine environments and avoid overfishing

Waterloo will monitor across its food going forward for other certification options, a comprehensive list of which are provided by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System.

Enable JavaScript to view data visualisation.

An accessible version of this data can be downloaded here: Sustainable Food Purchasing 2023 (Excel)

Indicators

Food icon
32% of all Food and Beverage purchases are local, produced on-site, or third-party certified for sustainability

Actions and accomplishments

2024

  • In May 2024, the Sustainability Office launched a Food Garden pilot project to support students and employees in growing food on campus. The pilot included the installation of 10 raised garden beds, located adjacent to the Healing Forest by the Village 1 residence. The plots were available on a first-come, first-served basis, with all plots claimed within 24 hours of launching the gardens.

2019

  • ​Increased Fair Trade purchases, and received Fair Trade Campus designation​

2018

  • Food Services continued to expand its local food purchases
  • Food Services began requiring MSC certification for all seafood purchases
  • Food Services and other food providers across campus continued to increase Fair Trade certified coffee, tea, and chocolate options

Objective O11

By 2018, achieve and maintain a Fair Trade Campus designation

Progress: Complete

A full pie chart, illustrating that the objective has been completed

Description: Waterloo’s Food Services team has met all criteria to be designated as a Fair Trade Campus, and received the designation in Spring 2019. Waterloo will continue to maintain the designation going forward.

Methodology

Boundary

All campuses, excluding Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo.

Methodology

Limitations and Exclusions: Fair trade designation does not include franchise locations.

Methodology: Receipt of the Fair Trade Campus designation is established by Fairtrade Canada, and requires all University-run food locations to meet the following criteria, including any student-run coffee shops:

  • 100% of coffee sold must be Fairtrade Certified
  • 3 Fairtrade Certified teas must be available wherever teas are sold
  • 1 Fairtrade Certified chocolate bar must be available wherever chocolate bars are sold
  • Signage must be displayed indicating the availability of fair trade products

In addition, the University must also:

  • Have a campus-wide steering committee to oversee maintenance of the designation
  • Have a web page stating that the University is a Fair Trade Campus and provide information on fair trade
  • Campus administration must participate at least annually in a public celebration of its Fair Trade Campus Status

More information on the standard can be found at the Fairtrade Canada website.

Indicators

Coffee icon
Fair Trade Campus Designated

Actions and accomplishments

Objective O12

By 2020, deliver multifaceted programming to grow student and employee awareness about healthy and sustainable food choices

Progress: Completed

A full pie chart, illustrating that the objective has been completed

Description: Food Services and the Sustainability Office continue to support active programming to raise awareness and literacy on healthy and sustainable food, including workshops and cooking shows.

Indicators

Food icon
19 Awareness building, training, and disclosure programs for food sustainability

Actions and accomplishments

Historic actions and accomplishments

2020

  • Food Services and the Sustainability Office hosted four major workshops collaboratively to connect healthy and sustainable food, including sessions on Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices, Growing Microgreens, and Reducing Food Waste, as well as providing a student-led virtual sustainable cooking show in residences
  • Food Services began tracking plant-based purchases in their ordering system to enable better reporting and to analyze opportunities for supporting plant-based meals

2019

  • Food Services expanded awareness around local food with the “Farm to Campus Fresh” branding effort
  • The Sustainability Office and Food Services hosted a launch event recognizing campus Fairtrade designation 
  • Food Services hosted a zero-waste cooking show to educate students on how to minimize food waste
  • Food Services hosted a plant-based cookoff event, pitting chefs against each other to prepare vegan and vegetarian meals that students were able to sample

2018

  • Food Services held a vegan cooking show to educate participants on how to utilize seasonal produce to make flavourful, healthy, and low-impact meals
  • Food Services hired a registered dietician to help develop, implement, and maintain nutritional programming
  • Food Services, WUSA (formerly Feds), GSA, and Student Societies expanded promotion and signage for Fairtrade certified coffee, tea, and chocolate ate food outlets
  • Food Services held a training session for chefs and culinary staff to expand the range of vegan and vegetarian food offerings
  • Food Services relaunched FRSH, a fully vegan/vegetarian food outlet, in the BMH expansion
  • Catering Services launched a new vegan/vegetarian menu as part of the catering offerings for major events and meetings across campus
  • The Sustainability Office hosted a booth on Fairtrade at the Renison Sustainability Fair
  • The Sustainability Office included a session on Healthy and Sustainable Food in the newly-launched Sustainability Certificate

2017

  • The Sustainability Office and Health Services facilitated a session on Healthy and Sustainable Food at the staff conference and Keeping Well at Work Day
  • Food Services began strengthening their labeling and placement for vegan, vegetarian, and Fairtrade products to encourage sustainable choices

Related links

Explore more of Waterloo's progress: