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Institutional Food Systems Transformation - Quantitative Analysis of Coolfood’s Intervention Framework (Rethink Priorities)

#institutional_change case_study

Case study profile

Institution type: Non-profit organization

Implementing institution: Food service institutions including healthcare systems, cities, universities, contract caterers, restaurant chains, and companies

Initiative: Reducing harmful emissions by accelerating the shift to plant-based foods

Key players: World Resources Institute

Key strategies:

Introduction

Food service institutions, which accounted for approximately 56% of total food expenditures in the United States in 2022, are pivotal in shaping dietary habits and promoting more sustainable food choices (ERS, 2022 in Pollicino et al., 2024). Restaurants, canteens, and cafés have an opportunity to influence consumers’ eating habits on a large scale by offering plant-based, environmentally friendly dishes, which not only reduce the demand for animal-based options, but may also inspire changes in retail sales and in-home consumption (Kerslake et al., 2022 in Pollicino et al., 2024, p. 12). This potential ripple effect underscores the significant potential of these institutions to drive widespread change in food consumption patterns.

This case study examines the effort of Coolfood, an initiative of World Resources Institute, which leverages the scale and reach of the food service sector to serve millions of healthier and lower-carbon meals each day. The case highlights the role that collecting data—even imperfect data—can play in acting as a catalyst for action from food service providers. An important lesson drawn here is that compiling the best evidence from academic studies needs to be paired with effective stakeholder engagement and communication to ensure that recommendations are implemented effectively. We spoke with staff at the World Resources Institute and conducted online searches to gather the information included in this report.