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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Starting on July 1, Boston Public Schools will be dishing out breakfast, lunch, and after-school meals from City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury-based and Black-owned food service company.
Mayor Michelle Wu made the announcement Friday that all future school meals will be made fresh in their Roxbury production facility with nutritious and locally-sourced ingredients, culminating into an ethnically diverse eating experience for BPS' roughly 50,000 students.
BPS officials say they issued a Request for Proposals for the vended meals contract back in January of this year, and when CFF came forward, school and city officials unanimously recommended it be awarded the contract for its operational strength, commitment to reducing the use of processed foods, and dedication to Boston's local neighborhoods.
“Transformative change for BPS starts with the everyday experiences of our students, and this new contract ensures every child will have access to nutritious foods to energize and nourish them through the day,” Wu said. “We’re proud to partner with a local, Roxbury-based, Black-owned business to deliver for our young people.”
The schools' projected $17 million contract with CFF is the largest non-construction contract the city has ever issued to a certified Black-owned business.
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City officials say CFF will also work to fulfill goals aligned with the city's Good Food Purchasing Program, to procure food with racial equity, environmental sustainability, and local economic development in mind.
“At City Fresh we believe that everyone deserves access to nutritious and delicious food, and we are thrilled to partner with the Boston Public Schools to deliver great tasting meals to the public school community of Boston,” said Sheldon Lloyd, Co-Founder and CEO of City Fresh Foods.
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