purchasing policy

SPROUTS MISSION:

Sprouts is committed to sustainable food systems. We seek to enable food security at UBC and beyond in the greater Vancouver community by encouraging and empowering ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Through our various initiatives, we endeavor to make nutritious, affordable, and minimally-packaged food accessible to everyone on campus. There are few things that bind society to nature as intimately as food and it is clear that amidst anthropogenic climate change and polarizing social inequality, solutions to food security must be sought beyond the realm of agricultural production alone. To address such issues, it is necessary to acknowledge the entrenched political, economic, social, and environmental systems that implicitly intersect with sustaining both ourselves and our homes. We need our land to be able to feed future generations, our natural environments to be protected, and the producers of our food to be equitably compensated for their labour. In deciding which products to carry, we consider all inputs from the field to the fork.

PURCHASING DECISIONS:

We favour produce grown from on-campus initiatives like UBC Farm, Land and Food Systems (LFS) Orchard Garden, and Roots on the Roof while also working with three main organic food distributors: Organic Matters, Horizon Organics, and Discovery Organics. We are looking to further work with a number of local independent suppliers for specific products and consciously seek to support local businesses and partnerships. Members of the Sprouts 2022; Executive Board evaluate all products and look at numerous factors when deciding on which items to sell at Sprouts, serve on our menus, and use for our other initiatives. Purchasing decisions are the responsibility of the various initiative coordinators and the Products Coordinator. In deciding which products to carry, we consider three key pillars: Social and Animal Equity, Health and Wellbeing, and Environmental Impacts. With these values, we consider the following questions as indicators:

Where and how is it produced and processed?
Does it necessitate shipping and packaging that is considered high-impact?
How much energy is involved in its production and transport
What are the consequences of supporting the distributor initiative or business model?
Do such consequences extend to benefit worker’s equity and local economies?
Are such business models and initiative claims verifiable?
Are product prices affordable and can costs be acceptably passed onto the community?
To what extent is it accessible for consumers with diets that are vegan, gluten-free, or otherwise restricted?
Do such purchasing decisions reflect the values of the Sprouts and UBC community?

PURCHASING PRIORITIES:

For fresh produce we prioritize:

Buying from on-campus growing initiatives even if they are not certified organic; UBC Farm, Land and Food Systems (LFS) Orchard Garden, and Roots on the Roof
Buying from local certified organic farms when possible
For bulk products, packaged groceries, and snack foods we prioritize:
Buying certified organic products when possible
Sourcing as locally as possible and supporting local businesses and their initiatives
Buying fair-trade or direct-trade products; while
Keeping in mind the nutritional value, accessibility, and affordability for students.

For coffee, tea, chocolate, and spices we:

Acknowledge that while these products do not grow locally, we can meet the high demand for them by finding ecologically and economically sound sources
Consider the implications of the company’s business model when possible, supporting direct-trade initiatives, volunteer-run, and otherwise grassroots organizations with goals and mandates that align with those of Sprouts.

For animal by-products we:

Acknowledge the importance of prioritizing animal equity, therefore this option will be limited to the Community Fridge and Saturday Distro initiatives only.
Prioritize the purchasing of products from local businesses that adhere to animal welfare principles and implement the Five Freedoms.
Define animal welfare as an animal’s quality of life; animals in healthy, pain-free, and comfortable farms.
Look for animal welfare certifications.
Will not purchase meat products, this is exclusive to animal by-products.
No animal by-products will be used in any kitchen operations; Saturday Distro may only distribute animal by-products they purchase.

*The Community Fridge and Saturday Distro initiatives are the only initiatives allowed to purchase animal by-products. All animal by-products purchased for these initiatives should be animal welfare certified and evaluated with all other criteria still in mind. No animal by-products are allowed in the Sprouts Kitchen.

AN INCLUSIVE AND HOLISTIC APPROACH:

The importance of each of the above values is considered when deciding what we purchase. However, we are not bound to a single pillar or indicator. For example, we recognize that organic certification is not always synonymous with economic and ecological sustainability nor are organic standards always economically feasible for farmers or businesses to adhere to. We acknowledge that food miles in and of itself is not an adequate indicator of sustainability without consideration for mode of transportation. Further, we recognize that fair trade is a problematic concept and the costs of independent certification can be prohibitive to those who work in such agricultural industries. We support direct trade and other trade initiatives that provide a positive impact for producers even if this means choosing smaller suppliers that cannot afford the official certification. With these as examples in mind, we therefore consider these values as a guiding principle as opposed to guarantees.

GUARANTEES:

While we recognize that our purchasing policy is fluid and incorporates different aspects of our values varying through time, there are some guarantees that we can provide when we purchase products for our initiatives. We guarantee that our produce is grown as locally as possible and in-season when available. We define and prioritize locality in the following order: UBC campus, Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, and then Washington State. We guarantee our kitchen operations to be plant-based at this time.

PURCHASING POLICY CHART:

With everything considered, how does the purchasing policy actually translate into choosing our products? When considering bringing on new distributors and products, we seek to research what is relevant as thoroughly and extensively as we can. However, we also use a chart to guide and inform us on how compatible we are with such products, you can view our most recent chart here.