Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative, the nation’s first farm-to-institution food service cooperative, will bid on the University of Maine System food service contract, offering a locally-owned alternative for institutional food service. This is a cooperative that CDI has helped through every stage of the process – from conception to launch. And while it is a cooperative itself, it’s actually more than that: it’s an effort to revolutionize the food system in Maine. Read more about this exciting initiative here!
“Institutional food service has been controlled by out-of-state corporations that dictate terms, prices, and conditions. Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative will build local ownership across our food system by creating a supply chain that works to meet the needs of our farmers and fishermen, the institutions we serve and the needs of Maine students,” says Jonah Fertig, of the Cooperative Development Institute and Board Member of the Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative. “Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative is committed to partnering with the UMaine system to attract students, feed them delicious local food and expand their connection to local communities and the Maine food economy.
Watch this inspiring six-minute video.