How Aramark Collegiate Hospitality Brings the Farm to Campus Tables

Across the country, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality is working with colleges and universities to connect campus dining directly to nearby farms, student‑run agricultural programs, and on‑campus growing spaces. Through local sourcing partnerships and farm‑to‑table initiatives, students gain greater access to fresh, nutritious ingredients—sometimes harvested just steps from where they eat.

As more students prioritize healthier, more intentional eating habits, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality’s approach helps make fresh, wholesome food part of everyday campus life. From leafy greens grown on university farmland to herbs picked hours before service, these partnerships shorten the distance from farm to plate while supporting hands‑on student learning and sustainability goals.

University of Virginia

Every year, UVA Dine hosts a series of Farm-to-Fork events that connect students with farmers, producers, distribution managers, and food system leaders. These events serve as opportunities to thank our local partners for their continued collaboration, illustrate real methods of farm-to-institute practice, and highlight UVA’s commitment to local procurement and food system education. UVA Dine’s most recent Farm-to-Fork dinner reception featured over 10 local farmers and state government representation, including Katie Frazier, Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, who spoke about supporting Virigina farmers through continued institutional partnerships.

UVA Dine prioritizes sourcing ingredients within a 250-mile radius whenever possible to support regional farmers and food providers, as well as reduce transportation-related emissions. Local sourcing is intentionally integrated into daily menus across campus, not limited to special events. 

Local sourcing is visible in everyday dining locations at UVA. O’Hill Dining features locally sourced turkey daily at the deli station, the smash burger station also serves local beef from a farm 50 miles south of Charlottesville in Nelson County. Other regularly sourced items include sweet potatoes, tofu, milk, and even lemonade. Seasonally, all three main dining halls regularly feature local fruits such as strawberries and blueberries. 

UVA Dine also partners with Michael Carter Jr. and his nonprofit, Africulture, to build a more equitable and locally rooted food system. Through this collaboration, UVA Dine has expanded its network of small and minority farmers and helped launch the Black Farmer Fund. 

Mississippi State University

At Mississippi State University, a student‑run farm celebrated its first harvest during the Fall 2025 semester, supplying fresh produce directly to campus dining. The Dining Services team at MSU received approximately 50–100 pounds of leafy greens, including bok choy, mustard greens, collards, and green onions, which were incorporated into menus at the residential dining hall.

The collaboration builds on broader efforts to source food locally and highlights MSU‑grown products already featured in campus dining locations, including milk, ice cream, and eggs produced through the university’s Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

Shepherd University

At Shepherd University, produce grown at Tabler Student Farm, a student-run demonstration and educational farm, is incorporated into campus dining for special events when available. During an Appalachian-themed Supper Club, for example, 15 pounds of green tomatoes harvested from the farm were featured in the first course alongside farm-grown flowers. Kitchen scraps from the university’s dining operations also help support the cycle of produce grown at the farm, as food waste is sent back to Tabler Farm’s compost pile to enrich future harvests.

These events allow dining teams to showcase hyper-local ingredients while highlighting the university’s sustainable agriculture efforts in a meaningful and visible way.