Delaware North Joins PRO*ACT as First Hospitality Partner In New Greener Fields Together™ Sustainability Program

BUFFALO, N.Y. and MONTEREY, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Delaware North Companies, one of the nation's largest hospitality groups, has signed an agreement to become the first major hospitality and foodservice company to join Greener Fields Together, the sustainability program recently launched by leading national produce distributor, PRO*ACT. 

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The food industry's first comprehensive, national farm-to-fork sustainability program, Greener Fields Together is dedicated to continuous sustainability improvements at each touch point in the produce supply chain. This will ensure that Delaware North Companies and other hospitality operators have greater access to sustainably grown, safe produce at both the local and national levels.

PRO*ACT has served as Delaware North Companies' primary produce supplier since 2009, supplying more than 425,000 cases of fresh produce annually to most of the company's U.S. operating locations, including sports stadiums, entertainment complexes, airports, national and state parks, casinos and resorts.

"Delaware North and our clients are increasingly sourcing local produce to provide our guests with fresh, high-quality foods and seasonal cuisine," says Michael Reinert, vice president of Delaware North's Supply Management Services. "PRO*ACT's Greener Fields Together program makes our operations more sustainable and ensures we are receiving produce from farms and produce houses that are being held to the highest sustainability and safety standards."

Greener Fields Together encourages farmers to explore and develop "green" activities in areas such as energy use, water and waste management, pesticide/herbicide use, packaging and transportation. Farmers large and small partnering with PRO*ACT in the initiative are expected to make continuous, documented improvements in sustainability. PRO*ACT distributors have also pledged to make Greener Fields Together a strategic priority and are implementing a variety of improvements to their environmental impact while also building long-term partnerships with local farms, including financially supporting local farmers' food safety education and certification efforts.

Working with PRO*ACT has enabled Delaware North to streamline its large-scale produce supply chain, purchasing through PRO*ACT rather than directly from the farms. The new Greener Fields Together program will further enhance the company's ability to source products from local farms with a verified food safety record.  Delaware North will begin displaying the Greener Fields Together emblem in its U.S. operations as a commitment to customers that they are being served fresh, safe, sustainably sourced produce. "Becoming a hospitality partner in Greener Fields Together aligns with Delaware North's commitment to environmental sustainability through our award-winning GreenPath^® environmental management system," adds Anne Marie McManus, director of environmental affairs and sustainability for Delaware North.

"We're proud to have Delaware North as the first major Greener Fields Together hospitality partner," says Max Yeater, PRO*ACT president. "We understand that they and others in the foodservice community are working hard to increase their use of fresh produce in general and of local produce in particular. We also know that moving toward a more sustainable produce supply chain – from farming through distribution through foodservice operations like those operated by Delaware North – is a shared strategic priority. Greener Fields Together is designed to help us get there, together."

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.6 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.

About PRO*ACT 
PRO*ACT is America's leading distributor of fresh produce sourcing from premier national, regional and local farmers. PRO*ACT streamlines the produce supply chain, offering significant cost benefits and an easy, one-call solution to source the freshest produce from more than 70 third-party inspected, independently owned, local distribution centers across the United States and Canada. PRO*ACT provides category cost management through commodity contract pricing, in-house consultation services and integrated produce program distribution management.

About Greener Fields Together
Greener Fields Together is a collaboration of environmentally responsible parties, including farmers, distributors, hospitality and retail operators, who have come together to make steady, measurable improvements in sustainability and food safety practices through all levels of the produce supply chain.

For More Information
Glen White, Delaware North Companies
(716) 858-5753
[email protected]
www.DelawareNorth.com                                                                                                                             

Mary Wright-Rana, PRO*ACT/Greener Fields Together
(831) 658-1961
[email protected]
www.proactusa.com; www.greenerfieldstogether.org

SOURCE PRO*ACT; Delaware North Companies