Vermont First

In 2014, Sodexo launched Vermont First, a first-of-its-kind program committing Sodexo to increase local purchasing across its Vermont institutional markets. Since its inception, we have aimed to grow market opportunities for local producers, stimulate job growth, and ensure the viability of Vermont’s working lands.

We do this through strategic purchasing shifts, collaboration with stakeholders, increasing consumer awareness, and training and enabling our operators to implement Vermont First objectives. Vermont First has been recognized as the best practice in farm-to-institution work for its transparent, rigorous tracking system and strategic alignment of institutional purchasing needs with local supply.

Learn more about Vermont First by visiting their website at vermontfirst.sodexomyway.com, following them on LinkedIn or clicking the images below to follow them on Instagram.

Vermont First is Sodexo's commitment to the Vermont Community to support:

• Support Vermont’s local economy through the creation of inclusive market opportunities accessible for local producers, including diverse-owned and small-medium scale farm and food businesses.
• Create opportunities for employees to engage with Vermont First and contribute to our local communities.
• Contribute to an environmentally sustainable food system through food purchases and reducing food waste.
• Cultivate intentional collaboration and transparency to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system and work to remove structural barriers in participation and decision-making.

Why does Farm-to-Institution matter?

• Food access and equity: Nearly 1/4 of the New England population spends time at institutions every year. That population is a microcosm of our communities. It's important that institutions lead by example and do our part to be a positive factor in our complex and important food system upon which we all rely.
• Resilience: Contribute to food resilience through building supply chain relationships and local food infrastructure
• Education: Contributes to educational mission of institutions/food systems and nutrition education
• Collaboration: Ability to coordinate with other markets to create collective demand