MISSISSAUGA – Aramark is making it easier for students at 15 universities and colleges in Canada to make climate-friendly choices, by introducing Cool Food Meals on residence dining menus this semester. The Cool Food Meals badge identifies dishes with a lower carbon footprint and will appear on up to 250 menu items Aramark will serve in residence dining rooms with all-you-care-to-eat service.
Earlier this year World Resources Institute (WRI) announced Aramark as the first contract catering company to introduce the Cool Food Meals badge to identify dishes with a lower carbon footprint at university dining halls in the U.S. Building on the success of the U.S. pilot, the Cool Food Meals badge will begin to appear in the Fall 2022 semester on up to 250 menu items Aramark will serve in the residence dining rooms of 15 Canadian institutions of higher learning.
WRI measured the carbon footprint of hundreds of Aramark’s recipes to identify items that meet the Cool Food Meals criteria, based on the ingredients from farm to fork, and the land used to produce the meal. If a dish’s carbon footprint falls below an established per-meal threshold, and also meets a nutrition safeguard, it is approved as a Cool Food Meal. Some examples of Aramark dishes that will be labeled as a Cool Food Meal include Chipotle Lime Fish Tacos, Jerk Chicken Pasta, Thai Lentil Rice Bowl, and Marrakesh Vegetable Stew.
“We are thrilled to be giving students the opportunity to identify climate-friendly choices on dining menus with the help of the Cool Food Meals badge,” said Andy Siklos, President of Aramark Canada. “Our market research has clearly shown a desire amongst consumers to reduce the amount of meat in their diets, as well as a growing interest in fighting climate change. Our Cool Food Meals recipes will give students the means to do both.”
“Young people are some of the loudest voices calling for climate action. With agriculture accounting for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, changing what we eat is one of the easiest ways to lower our personal carbon footprint and have an impact in the world,” said Edwina Hughes, Head of Cool Food at World Resources Institute. “Students, faculty, and staff will now have an easy way to put their climate ambitions into action – whether that’s lunch after class, before going out to an event, or picking up late night food. This is about helping people make climate action a simple and core part of their lifestyle.”
Aramark’s commitment to the planet is a core part of the company’s sustainability plan, Be Well. Do Well., focused on positively impacting people and the planet. Aramark’s planet priority is focused on several initiatives addressing climate change. The Company is working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by offering more vegan and vegetarian meals, sourcing responsibly, operating more efficiently, minimizing food waste, and reducing packaging.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list, the Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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