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Boston Public Schools: A Local Procurement Success Story!

Profile picture for Melissa Motejunas. Holding a floret of broccoli in a Harvesting Good sweatshirt.

Melissa Motejunas, director of sales and marketing

Hey friends!

Boston Public Schools (BPS) is a shining example of how local food sourcing can positively impact both schools and communities. By partnering with Harvesting Good, BPS has successfully integrated locally sourced frozen broccoli florets into its year-round meal offerings, providing fresh, nutritious options to students while supporting local farms. Through their partnership with Harvesting Good, they served over 1.5 million servings of local frozen broccoli! Their success highlights how your district can easily integrate nutritious, locally sourced produce into school meals year-round – all while staying within budget.

Here’s why this partnership is a success:

  1. Cost-Effective and High-Quality: One of BPS’s biggest wins has been the ability to serve high-quality local broccoli florets at a lower cost than fresh produce. By utilizing Harvesting Good’s frozen broccoli, BPS can offer premium ingredients in its entrees and sides without exceeding its budget.
  2. Year-Round Local Access: Harvesting Good’s frozen broccoli eliminates the traditional limitations of the growing season, allowing BPS to serve local produce well beyond the Northeast’s typical broccoli harvest window. Instead of only accessing fresh local broccoli from September to November, BPS can now feature it in meals throughout the school year.
  3. Scalable Procurement for Other Districts: BPS has proven that this model can work for large, urban districts while being scalable for smaller districts. Harvesting Good’s ability to supply both large and smaller districts via established distribution channels makes this a replicable success.
  4. Support for Local Farms: Boston schools serve students and, through this partnership, provide critical market support to local farms. This collaboration helps sustain regional agriculture by opening new markets for farm-fresh, frozen products.
  5. Meeting High Standards: BPS is committed to values-based procurement, and by working with Harvesting Good, it can meet the Good Food Purchasing Program standards. Serving local, healthy, and sustainably grown produce aligns with BPS’s mission to improve student health and support the local economy.
Boston Public Schools broccoli pizza

The success of BPS demonstrates how mission-driven food sourcing can bring tangible benefits to students, schools, and communities. As more districts seek sustainable and affordable food options, BPS is a powerful example of how local frozen produce can be a game-changer in school nutrition.

Warmly,

Melissa