Texas A&M University
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing

Our current inventory represents purchasing data for the last academic school year for Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. Due to the extreme differences in our overall annual purchasing due to COVID-19, we pulled data from a sample considering seasonal availability. This included both October 2021 and February 2022. In contrary to STARS 2021, we almost doubled in our overall purchasing for this year’s reporting period due to our significant spending recovery post-COVID. We experienced an increase in volume, product spending to have operations reach full capacity and meal plan purchases have reached pre-covid where supply/demand purchases increased. In total expenditures on sustainable certified products, we stayed consistent of STARS 2021 report (no significant increase or decrease). In total expenditures on plant-based foods, we increased more than $46k of spending versus STARS 2021 report. Due to a significant increase in our total food and beverage expenditures compared to STARS 2021, we received lower percentages on both categories.
For this STARS 2022 report, we received purchasing data from Chartwells National Director of Sustainability, a new position held in 2021 to enhance sustainability focus internally for Chartlwells as a company across the nation. Information required to run the report is the dates requested (in this case, October 2021 and February 2022), Cost Center numbers of each location on campus and the type of STARS Division which is STARS 2.2 Version as a oppose to 2.1 Version. We would receive the data of spending for the months requested for every cost center excluding national brands, local purchases, and P-card purchases. Then the data is used to find the total spent for third party verified and plant-based products to be inserted into the inventory. Please email Yadira Hernandez, Yadira.hernandez@compass-usa.com with any further questions.

Our dining program continued the goal of having at least 30% of our paper purchases contain post-consumer recycled content.

We opened a new location called The Market at Lamar in August 2020 and it serves locally roasted coffee from Independence Coffee in Brenham, TX.

We've also made a new partnership with Emerald Brand to sell their sustainably & ethically produced paper products at our campus markets & convenience stores. They are also compostable. Here is a link to their website: https://www.emeraldbrand.com/

Texas A&M University Dining’s approach to social responsibility and sustainability is tied to our overall Balanced U and FYUL (Fueling Your Unique Lifestyle) wellness programming across campus. Through a variety of innovative programs and policies, we work closely with the communities we serve to reduce the impact our operations have on the world around us. Our focus on recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction not only helps us operate more efficiently, but it also lets us ensure that the resources we use today will be available for future generations. Our Balanced U Sustainability approach addresses four basic tenets of sustainable and socially responsible business practices. In detail, Chartwells only offers Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) certified cage-free shell eggs nationwide. In December 2007, Chartwells implemented a cage-free shell egg policy. All units are required to only offer shell eggs that are certified by the HFAC program in partnership with the Humane Society of America. We only serve chicken and turkey that has been produced with the restricted use of these drugs, especially as a growth additive in the feed. Our contracted suppliers are required to provide products that adhere to specific criteria developed in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund. Chartwells serves only fresh, fluid milk and fresh yogurt from cows that have been certified to be free of the artificial growth hormones rBGH/rBST. Chartwells is committed to protecting the threatened global fish supply. In collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, we established a landmark purchasing policy in 2006 that removes unsustainable wild and farmed seafood from our menus. We train our managers and chefs to build relationships with local farmers and produce distributors. To ensure food safety and traceability of local produce, purchasing is done through an approved produce distributor. Chartwells supports global sustainability through local action. We support these communities by partnering with local produce suppliers and encouraging good agricultural practices to provide quality produce, economic growth, and local community development. Responsible coffee production methods are certified in a variety of ways, including Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, Shade Grown, Bird Friendly, Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices, UTZ and organic. We encourage our units to offer a responsible choice based on client and guest preference, and availability.

AASHESTARSData_TAMU_Oct2021_Feb2022_FINAL File data is filtered to include only food and beverage purchases.