The Real Meals Campaign is composed of a intergenerational grassroots alliance of students, farmers, fishers, ranchers, and food workers food workers who are members and allies of the HEAL Food Alliance.
Real Meals Campaign
We believe that better food systems are a solution to some of our world's biggest problems.
The Problem
Our food is controlled by corporations, not our communities.
Currently, three giant food service corporations (Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass Group) manage over half of the country’s cafeteria food in universities, hospitals, and prisons. These food service corporations buy billions of dollars worth of food each year from other multinational food corporations like Tyson, JPS and Cargill. They rely on harmful practices such as the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers that damage our health and the environment, they exploit workers, and they market highly processed, unhealthy food to meet their bottom line profits.
The Solution
We believe that money spent on food should fairly compensate those who dedicate their lives feeding others. We're organizing to shift dollars away from a system that extracts wealth and well‐being from communities, and investing in solutions that protect our environment and fairly compensate those who dedicate their lives to feeding others. As a first step, we are asking each corporation to commit the following:
Our Goals
ACHIEVE 25% REAL FOOD FOR EVERY CAMPUS
Purchase 25% of food from sources that are local & community based, fair, ecologically sound, and/or humane, as defined by the
Real Food Standards
Shift toward seafood from local & community based fishers
Real Food Standards
Shift toward seafood from local & community based fishers
INVEST IN RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY
Expand purchasing from disenfranchised farmers, fishers and ranchers -- particularly Black producers
Designate a company liaison to develop these relationships
Invest at least $1 million in infrastructure to improve market access for disenfranchised producers
Prioritize stakeholder input (e.g. campus religious and cultural groups) in menu planning to meet the needs of marginalized groups
Designate a company liaison to develop these relationships
Invest at least $1 million in infrastructure to improve market access for disenfranchised producers
Prioritize stakeholder input (e.g. campus religious and cultural groups) in menu planning to meet the needs of marginalized groups
REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND INDUSTRIAL
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
Reduce purchases of factory-farmed meat, poultry and cheese by 25%
Invest in Real Food alternatives. Reduce carbon emissions across the companies’ supply chains by 25%.
Invest in Real Food alternatives. Reduce carbon emissions across the companies’ supply chains by 25%.
INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Commit to clear and swift timelines for implementing each of these targets
Track and report on progress. The Community Coalition for Real Meals will publish report cards on the progress of each company.
Track and report on progress. The Community Coalition for Real Meals will publish report cards on the progress of each company.
Take Action!
With the Real Meals Campaign, we're organizing to divest from harmful corporations and invest in businesses that are good for all people and the planet.
Join us to urge these giant corporations to use their massive purchasing power to become an active force for good working conditions, environmental sustainability, and racial equity in the food system.
The call for Real Meals has been endorsed by over 40 public health, producer, environmental, and social justice organizations and counting!
Join us to urge these giant corporations to use their massive purchasing power to become an active force for good working conditions, environmental sustainability, and racial equity in the food system.
The call for Real Meals has been endorsed by over 40 public health, producer, environmental, and social justice organizations and counting!
The Coalition
