Sustainability
Members of the Green Advisors program, who work in close partnership with the Dining team on waste management efforts.
Our dining program supports the College's commitment to sustainability by sourcing locally produced foods, reducing waste, and conserving resources.
With the opening of the new Dining Center in October 2022, we will operate in a space built with the latest in sustainable technologies, that will be powered by all-electric energy from renewable resources. The Dining Center will be part of the new Dining and Community Commons, which you can learn more about here.
Compost and Waste Reduction | Local Food | Our Locally Based Food Distributors
Compost and Waste Reduction
As part of a campus-wide initiative, waste, both from our campus kitchens and post-consumer sources are part of the College’s composting program. Additionally, our dining locations all offer compostable to-go packaging. We work with Kitchen Harvest, a local, family-owned business run by a passionate husband and wife team who "enjoy making good dirt". The compost is processed and used at a family farm located in Middletown, PA. Through this program, we divert 75 pounds of compostable material a day on average. Some further steps that we've taken to reduce waste.
- We no longer offer plastic water bottles with our Grab-n-Go program, our catering, or at our retail locations. Instead, we encouraging our diners to bring their own drinking vessels and fill them from a dispenser. Community members may also purchase cans of aluminum water that can be recycled. This practice, along with the dispensers of fruit infused water available for most catered events, has helped us to divert an average of 960 plastic bottles a week from landfills.
- We recycle our used vegetable oil with Restaurant Technologies Incorporated, a system that dramatically reduces the oil and related packaging sent to landfills by recycling used oil into biodiesel or animal feed in an efficient and scalable manner.
- We provide compostable to-go containers at the dining hall and compostable to-go coffee cups and utensils at all of our campus venues.
- We have been piloting a reusable takeout container program that will help reduce the use of single-use containers on campus.
Local Food
A visit to our campus dining facilities will put you in contact with a variety of locally produced delicacies. Whether it is a cage-free egg from Sandy Ridge Farm, bread from Le Bus Bakery, a fresh apple from Beechwood Orchards or a cold glass of milk from Wawa Dairy, you will taste the difference.
In addition to buying directly from local food producers, our Dining team is proud to work with a number of local, privately owned and operated food distributors. Each of these companies feature locally produced items, provide employment to area residents, and support their communities. For example our main grocery supplier, Feesers Food Distributors, is based in Harrisburg, PA and in turn provides us with many local brands. Explore this page for more information on each of our local food service providers
Our Locally Based Food Distributors
- American Beauty Fish & Produce
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Phone number: 610-431-1477
Email: AmericanBeauty341@gmail.comAmerican Beauty Fish and Produce has been Swarthmore’s main produce purveyor for the past five years. American Beauty is based locally in West Chester, PA, and sources many of its products from the Weaverland Auction in Lancaster County during the peak growing season in PA. They also source vegetables from farms further afield, around the country and internationally as well, through the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market.
- BK Specialty Foods Distributor
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Phone number: 1-800-354-9445
Website: bkfoods.comBased in Swedesboro NJ, BK Specialty Foods is a family owned business that provides a variety of fresh, dry and frozen food products from all over the world to colleges, hotels, retail markets, restaurants and corporate food service in the Mid-Atlantic.
- Common Market Local Foods
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Phone number: 215-275-3435
Email: info@thecommonmarket.org
Website: thecommonmarket.orgThe Common Market is a food distribution center located in North Philadelphia with the aim of connecting local farmers with institutions such as restaurants, schools and hospitals in the Philadelphia area, and distributing products from local farmers to these institutions. The Common Market provides only local and seasonally available products, and has worked closely with Swarthmore Dining in past years to provide locally sourced products to supplement our menu on the Harvest Dinner night, as well as at the Community Gathering in the fall.
- Esposito Inc. Meats
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Phone number: 215-922-2659
Email: sales@espositosmeats.com
Website: espositosmeats.comEsposito Meats is based in Philadelphia’s Italian Market, and is a family owned meat distributor. As a PA preferred company, they work with local PA farmers to provide fresh and local products. They also provide beef, pork, veal, lamb and poultry from PA, Australia and New Zealand.
- Feeser’s Food Distributors
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Phone number: 1-800-326-2828
Website: www.feesers.comFeeser’s Inc. is a family owned and operated local food distribution company that is based in Harrisburg PA. Operating from 275,000 square ft. of warehouse facilities, Feeser’s “offers a wide variety of nationally branded grocery, frozen and refrigerated items to their customers.” Feeser’s “is dedicated to developing and growing our business in a manner that has minimal impact on the environment.” To learn more about how Feeser’s has worked to reduce its environmental impact visit www.feesers.com/content/green-initiative.
- Neshaminy Valley Natural Foods
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Please contact the Swarthmore Dining team for more information.
- Petro’s Bread Distributors
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Phone number: 215 625-9272
Website: petrosbread.comPetro’s Bread Distributors is owned and operated by the Trantas family, based in Philadelphia, and “has proudly served the tri-state area since 1985.” Petro’s Distributes bread from a wide variety of local and regional bakeries, and they have a wide reach, providing baked goods for smaller vendors as well as large universities and hospitals. For a more complete list of the suppliers that they distribute for visit their website.
- Philadelphia Bakery Merchants
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Phone number: 610-449-5763
Website: philabakerymerchants.comThe Philadelphia Bakery Merchants is a family owned and operated company, self-described as a “wholesale distributor for the 10 best bakeries in the Philadelphia Metro area.” They reliably distribute bread from renown local bakeries such as Baker Street Bread, LeBus Bakery, and Aversa’s Bakery to their customers. For a fuller list of providers that they distributor for, visit their website.
Local Brands We Obtain from Feeser's Food Distributors
- Abuelita Mexican Foods
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Phone number: 703-369-1730
Email: office@abuelita.com
Website: www.abuelita.com/about-us/news/Abuelita Mexican Foods is based in Manassas, VA.
- Atlantic Blueberry Co
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Phone number: 609-561-8600
Email: staff@atlanticblueberry.com
Website: www.atlanticblueberry.comAtlantic Blueberry Co. is based inHammonton, NJ.
- ASK Foods Inc.
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Phone number: 717-838-6356
Website: www.askfoods.com/aboutus.htmlASK Foods Inc., Palmyra, PA
- Bachman Company
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Phone number: 717-637-6644
Website: www.utzsnacks.com/pages/bachmanBachman Company is based in Reading, PA
- Berks Company Inc.
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Phone number: 800-882-3757
Email: marketingdept@berksfoods.com
Website: www.berksfoods.com/about-us/Berks Company Inc. is based in Reading, PA.
- B&G Foods
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Phone number: 800-811-8975
Website: www.bgfoods.com/aboutB&G Foods is based in Parsippany, NJ.
- Caesar’s Pasta Products
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Phone number: 888-43-CAESAR
Email: caesars@caesarspasta.com
Website: www.caesarspasta.comCaesar’s Pasta Products is based in Blackwood, NJ
- Chianti Cheeses
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Phone number: 609-894-0900
Website: kantnergroup.com/html/cproducts.htmChianti Cheeses is based in Pemberton, NJ
- Deb-El Foods
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Phone number: 908-351-0330
Email: info@debelfoods.com
Website: www.debelfoods.comDeb-El Foods is based in Elizabeth, NJ.
- Devault Meats
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Phone number: 800-HAM-BURG
Website: www.devaultfoods.com/Devault Meats, Devault, PA
- Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods
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Phone number: 201-703-1300
Email: info@drpraegers.com
Website: drpraegers.com/Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods is based in Elmwood, NJ.
- Furmano’s
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Phone number: 877-877-6032
Website: www.furmanos.comFurmano’s is based in Northumberland, PA.
- Good Food Inc.,
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Phone number: 800-327-4406 or 610-273-3776
Email: info@goldenbarrel.com
Website: www.goodfoodinc.orgGood Food Inc. is based in Honey Brook, PA.
- Giorgio Mushrooms
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Phone number: 610-926-2139
Website: agmap.psu.edu/Businesses/index.cfm?fid=2598Giorgio Mushrooms is based in Temple, PA.
- Great Lakes Cheese
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Phone number: 440-834-2500
Email: glcinfo@greatlakescheese.com
Website: www.greatlakescheese.com/Great Lakes Cheese is based in Hiram, OH.
- Hadley Farms Bakery
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Phone number: 800-346-3494 or 301-824-2558
Website: www.hadleyfarms.comHadley Farms Bakery is based in Smithsburg, MD.
- Hanover Foods
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Phone number: 717-632-6000
Website: hanoverfoods.comHanover Foods is based in Hanover, PA.
- H.B. Hunter Co
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H.B. Hunter Co. is based in Norfolk, VA.
- Herr’s Foods
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Phone number: 610-932-9330
Website: www.herrs.comHerr’s Foods, Nottingham, PA
- H.J. Heinz Company
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Phone number (HQ): 800-255-5750
Website: www.heinz.comH.J. Heinz Company is based in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Hope’s Cookies
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Phone number: 888-266-5439
Website: www.hopescookies.com/homeHope’s Cookies, Rosemont, PA
- Joy Cone Co.
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Phone number: 724-962-5747
Website: www.joycone.comJoy Cone Co. is based in Hermitage, PA.
- Joyva Tahini
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Phone number: 718-497-0170
Email: info@joyva.comJoyva Tahini, New York, NY
- Kargher Corporation
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Phone number: 215-822-1186
Kargher Corporation, Hatfield, PA
- Keystone Food Products
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Keystone Food Products is based in Easton, PA.
- Knouse Foods Co-Op Inc.
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Phone number: 610-258-0888
Website: www.keystonesnacks.comKnouse Foods Co-Op Inc. is based in Peach Glen, PA.
- Kunzler Meats
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Phone number: 1-888-586-9537
Email: customerservice@kunzler.com
Website: www.kunzler.comKunzler Meats is based in Lancaster, PA.
- LaMonica Fine Foods
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Phone number: 856-825-8111
Website: www.lamonicafinefoods.comLaMonica Fine Foods, Millville, NJ.
- McCormick & Co. Inc.
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Phone number: 410-527-6189
Website: www.mccormickcorporation.comMcCormick & Co. Inc. is based in Hunt Valley, MD.
- Montena Taranto Foods
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Phone number: 201-943-8484
Email: info@montenatarantofoods.com
Website: montenatarantofoods.comMontena Taranto Foods is based in Ridgefield, NJ.
- Mrs. T’s Pierogies
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Phone number: 800-743-7649
Email: ConsumerContact@pierogies.com
Website: www.mrstspierogies.com/RecipesMrs. T’s Pierogies, Shenandoah, PA.
- O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative
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Phone number: 585-343-0536
Website: oatkamilk.comO-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative is based in Batavia, NY.
- RC Fine Foods
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Phone number: 908-359-5500
Email: cs@rcfinefoods.com
Website: rcfinefoods.comRC Fine Foods is based in Belle Meade, NJ.
- Rosina Foods
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Phone number: 1(888) 767-4621
Email: cservice@rosina.com
Website: www.rosina.comRosina Foods is based in Buffalo, NY
- Upstate Niagara Cooperative
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Phone number: 716-892-3156
Website: upstatefarmsfs.com/homeUpstate Niagara Cooperative is based in Buffalo, NY
- Utz Quality Foods
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Phone number: 717-637-6644
Website: www.utzsnacks.comUtz Quality Foods is based in Hanover, PA.
Local Brands We Purchase From Directly
- Beechwood Orchards
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Phone number: (717) 677-6536
Email: info@beechwoodorchards.net
Website: www.beechwoodorchards.netBeechwood Orchards is based in Biglerville, PA.
- Fresh Tofu Inc.
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Phone number: 610-433-4711
Email: info@freshtofu.com
Website: www.freshtofu.comFresh Tofu Inc. is based in Allentown, PA
- Kyj’s Bakery
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Phone number: 610-494-9400
Kyj’s Bakery is based in Chester, PA
- Original Bagel
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Phone number: 610-353-9600
Original Bagel is based in Broomall, PA
- Sandy Ridge Farm
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Phone number: 215-340-1042
Website: facebook.com/sandyridgefarmmarket/Sandy Ridge Farm is based in Elizabethtown, PA
- Wawa Dairy
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Phone number: 800-444-9292
Website: www.wawa.comWawa Dairy is one of the region's most well known and popular food service providers. Wawa Dairy is based in Wawa, PA.
Local Brands We Obtain from our Bread Distributors
- AVERSA'S Bakery
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Phone number: 856-227-8005
Email: ralphaversa@aversasbakery.com
Website: www.aversasbakery.com - Baker Street
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Phone number: 215.248.2500
Email: wholesale@bakerstreetbread.com
Website: www.bakerstreetbread.comBaker Street is based in Philadelphia, PA.
- Conshohocken Bakery
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Phone number: (610) 825-9334
Email: info@conshybakery.com
Website: www.conshybakery.comConshohocken Bakery is based in Conshohocken, PA.
- Kontos Foods Inc.
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Website: www.kontos.com
Kontos Foods Inc. is based in Paterson, NJ.
- Le Bus Bakery
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Phone number: (610) 337-1444
Website: lebusbakery.comLe Bus Bakery is based in Philadelphia, PA.
- Soumaya & Sons Bakery
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Phone number: 610-432-0405
Email: soumayabakery@hotmail.com
Website: www.soumayasonsbakery.comSoumaya & Sons Bakery is based in Whitehall, PA.
