Procurement

Local Food at Health Care Partners

CCAP health care partners are going local with their food purchasing. From working through food supplier Sodexo to one-on-one procurement with local producers, health care partners are serious about buying local.

 



Three CCAP health care partners are working with Sodexo to purchase food through more local vendors. Sodexo is tracking purchase locality by asking vendors that sell to Sodexo to provide data on purchases within CCAP zip codes. Once this baseline data on purchase locality is available, Sodexo will seek to add more local vendors in different purchasing categories.

 

Other partners are working with individual local vendors to secure food purchases. HealthPartners is now buying from Urban Organics located on the east side of Saint Paul. This year-round supplier of fresh produce is proving a good fit for serving several smaller HealthPartners hospitals. HealthPartners look to supply other locations within its network through Urban Organics, and may also begin purchasing fish from the vendor.

 

HealthEast purchasing staff are in talks with The Good Acre, a non-profit food hub. The supplier is located in the Central Corridor and provides facilities, warehouse space, transportation assistance, cooler and freezer storage space, and wholesale distribution to low-income, immigrant independent farmers.

 

Procurement: Buying Local

Health Care Partner Procurement

CCAP health care partners agreed upon a priority list that included creating a list of preferred vendors, meeting with Sodexo about using local produce vendors, and further discussion about a shared sterilization facility.

Local Vendors

Garden Fresh Farms (GFF)

GFF has developed several systems to grow herbs and produce using sustainable methods indoors for consistent year round growth. In 2013 GFF won the National Sustainability Award in the Clean Tech Open, the Minnesota Cup Clean Tech Division. Garden Fresh products are sold at Whole Foods, Lunds, Kowalskis and other retail outlets.  GFF also wholesales and offers daily delivery.  Products include lettuce, sprouts, and herbs.

Hirshfield’s

Fairview developed a relationship with Hirshfield’s, a local, family-owned business that offers Zero-VOC paint which is better for people and for the environment.  Hirshfield’s also manufactures its own paint in Minneapolis and offers paint recycling.

Armored Car

HealthPartners may begin to work with a Central Corridor vendor  for armored car services once its RFP process concludes at the end of October 2016. Education partners are participating in the RFP. 

Snow Removal and Appliances

CCAP partners are urged to continue using or consider working with Central Corridor vendors Prescription Landscape for snow removal and Warners’ Stellian for appliances.