Successful Partnership with UVA Dine: Local Food Delivered to Students

The pandemic created many challenges for UVA students hoping to use their meal plans. With take-out one of the main food options for students, a fresh fruit and vegetable option was very much needed. UVA Dine’s Sustainability Coordinator and Green Dining program worked with 4P to create Farmers Market in a Bag. Students get to order a bag full of locally-sourced produce and locally-made snack food options using their meal plan and pick it up at a UVA dining hall.

The program’s success in 2020 led to renewing it in 2021. So far, students have had two chances to order in the Fall semester. The Farmers Market in a Bag program is filling the gap between the in-person farmers markets on the UVA Grounds where students can access locally-grown and locally-made products.

4P Foods is uniquely positioned to help universities and other institutions with programs like Farmers Market in a Bag. Our procurement and sales team connect 600 farmers and producers with over 12,000 retail customers and 250 wholesale buyers. We have the trucks and the team to get delicious, local food from farmer to warehouse to institution, and then the UVA Dine team gets it in the students hands. We are very excited to see how the Farmers Market in a Bag program grows.