In 2023, the Center for Good Food Purchasing, alongside our extensive partnership network, supported 68 public institutions, which encompass thousands of individual cafeteria sites, food service operations, and public venues and serve over 3 million students and other individuals.

We supported these institutions in expanding their commitments to shared core values and principles, increasing good food purchases within and across institutions, and building power to accelerate food system transformation through a culture shift.

Through the expansion of the Good Food Purchasing Program, this network has demonstrated that public institutions can play a powerful role in food systems transformation by investing taxpayer dollars in a food system that fosters health, equity, and wellbeing. Our enrolled institutions direct over $161 million annually to purchase foods that are local and environmentally sustainable, promote worker wellbeing, or support animal welfare. An additional $119 million is spent on whole or minimally processed foods, a proxy for foods meeting nutrition standards.

We are grateful for the leadership and commitment of our partners, who continue to support our collective efforts to bring Good Food to our communities and transform our food system. In this newsletter, we are proud to share highlights from 2023 and a glimpse of what we’re looking forward to in the year ahead.