Our Initiatives
Learn more about our food access and farm to institution initiatives
Farm to Institution Initiatives
At Red Tomato, we believe that connecting local farms to institutional kitchens is a powerful way to support regional agriculture, improve food quality, and educate communities about the importance of local food systems.
Farm to School: Bringing Local Produce to Students
Since January 2022, Red Tomato has partnered with Whitsons Culinary Group to bring fresh, local produce into schools across Massachusetts and Connecticut. The partnership began with EcoCertified apples, and has grown into a diverse selection of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, lightly processed items (i.e. peeled & diced butternut squash or frozen broccoli), and it continues to grow!
We partner with food service management companies to:
- Provide year-round supply of local, EcoCertified produce
- Showcase the quality and flavor of regional fruits and vegetables
- Support local farmers by creating new market opportunities
Our Impact
- Supplied local produce to over 17 school districts
- Sold $110,000 in local produce for the 2023-2024 school year
- Distributed 5,400 cases of produce
- Expanded to include local meats, dairy, and lightly processed items
Looking Forward
With support from the Henry P Kendall Food Vision Prize, we’re excited to bring more fresh, local produce to schools across the Northeast, including our innovative “Meat in the Middle” program that creates efficient and affordable supply chains for local grass-fed beef and chicken.
The Bypass Project
Red Tomato developed this supply chain prototype project from a simple but powerful idea: bringing together the people who grow food directly with the people who eat the food. While it sounds straightforward, many systems get in the way of that direct connection.
Proven Results
Our 2021 pilot demonstrated the model’s potential:
- Delivered over $25,000 of fresh food
- Completed six successful deliveries
- Connected local farmers directly with community organizations
- Created new market opportunities while increasing food access
- From $25,000 to $140,000 in sales
- From 900 to 3,700 cases of fresh local produce
(Hartford focus) in 2024
Our Partners in Hartford
We work closely with:
- Hartford Hospital (Brownstone & Institute of Living)
- Joan C Dauber
- Hands On Hartford
- Forge City Works
- Food As Medicine
Building New Supply Chains
Launched in 2021 in collaboration with Reos Partners, Connecticut farmers, and community food distributors in Bridgeport and Hartford, the Bypass Project aims to:
- Create efficient supply chains that bypass traditional retailers
- Reduce costs to make fresh produce more affordable
- Build steady food flow into underserved communities
- Ensure growers receive fair prices
Meeting Needs
The project determines how to “bypass” traditional systems so that everyone’s needs are met:
- Communities get access to affordable, healthy food
- Growers receive fair prices for their produce
- Direct relationships are built between farmers and communities
- Transportation and logistics costs are reduced
Our Broader Vision
One of our main goals with the Bypass Project is to ensure that this model is sustainable, scalable, and replicable across regions. Our team has been building Bypass models geared to unique regional needs, with plans to launch programs across the country as early as summer 2025.
Farming and Food Narrative Project
Public conversation about sustainable farming is polarized and stuck. Americans care more than ever about where their food comes from — who grows it, and how it is grown. Yet without direct experience with farmers, the public conversation about sustainable farming often becomes oversimplified and polarized, reducing complex issues to “good versus bad” while overlooking proven practices like integrated pest management (IPM).
A New Approach to Agricultural Communication
In the Farming & Food Narrative Project, Red Tomato is partnering with IPM Voice and FrameWorks Institute to develop more effective ways to talk about farming and growing practices. Using Strategic Frame Analysis®, a research approach pioneered by FrameWorks Institute, we’re studying how people think about farming and food, then testing new ways to build understanding.
Why This Matters
This poorly informed public conversation has cascading effects on:
- Farm policies and public support
- Consumer confidence in food safety
- Trust in agricultural research
- Development of new technologies
- Recognition and adoption of sustainable practices
Creating Change Through Communication
Our research is creating evidence-based communication tools that help farmers, agricultural scientists, and advocates lead more productive conversations about sustainable agriculture. These recommendations are being shared widely across the sector, equipping these voices with proven strategies to build public understanding.
Support Our Initiatives
We couldn’t do it without people like you. Your generous donation helps support our initiatives
