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Sustainable Food Practices


A stand at the University Square Farmers’ Market.

Farm-To-Institution

With recent funding from the Claneil Foundation, Fair Food (a project of the White Dog Community Enterprises), the University of Pennsylvania, the Women's Health and Environmental Network, LaSalle University and other local institutions are working together to increase access to high quality, locally produced food.

Local Foods

Penn Dining is working closely with the White Dog Community Enterprises on the Farm-to-Institution program aimed at building strong supply links from local and regional farms to large institutional buyers such as Penn.

Penn Dining purchases many items that are locally produced, or organically produced or both, including:

  • Organic, grass-fed Black Angus beef.
  • 100 percent Organic Moosewood soups and other products;
  • Albert’s Organics products.
  • Hand made artisan breads from the local Metropolitan Bakery.
  • Sansom Street Pretzels, a local manufacturer of the City’s favorite snack.
  • Fresh Mozzarella Cheese made on premise made on the premise of Claudio's, located in the Italian Market in South Philadelphia.
  • Organic, minimally processed plant based, gluten free, all raw,vegan, organic cakes from Kind Cakes, operated by a local ICU nurse.
  • Energy bars that are vegan, organic wheat free, and made with soy protein from Star Bars, operated by a West Philadelphia resident.
  • Local produce from local farmers.
  • Pennsylvania Cheddar Cheese.
  • Pennsylvania bottled herbal organic iced teas from Honest Tea.
  • Milk from Wawa Dairies, a regional dairy cooperative.

University Square Farmers’ Market

The University Square Farmers’ Market first came to the corner of 36th and Walnut Streets in 2004. The Market is open Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May through November. The Farmers’ Market offers neighbors and members of the Penn community an opportunity to purchase fresh, delicious food from local farmers and producers including:

    • Hilltop Farm - John King comes from Paradise, PA to sell a wide array of fruits, vegetables, baked goods, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, eggs and cheese from his own farm as well as other local farms. At his stand you can find

    • Beechwood Orchards - A fifth generation family-owned farm in Biglerville, PA, Beechwood sells berries, cherries, peaches, plums, apples and other fruits. In the fall, they also offer fresh apple cider.

    • Metropolitan Bakery - Philadelphia’s locally-owned old-world bread bakery sells freshly baked breads, cookies, granola and pastries as well as sandwiches and spreads.

Food Waste Composting


The composting facilities on Moravian Street

Penn's facilities and real estate services partnered with local businesses to create the Moravian Street Recycling and Composting Center. At this center, waste from the adjacent restaurants and offices is captured and sorted, including food waste, fryer grease, and recycleables. This project was supported by a grant from the PA Dept of Environmental Protection.

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