Who We Are

Empowering Schools, Supporting Farmers and building sustainable supply chains

Schools today face growing demands to meet local sourcing requirements, but many lack the resources and infrastructure to effectively connect with small, local producers.

Growing Forward bridges this gap.

Through Gold Star Foods' national supply network, Growing Forward creates a seamless link between local farmers and school kitchens, ensuring that fresh, locally grown food reaches students efficiently. Our proven system simplifies the complexities of local sourcing by managing:

Vendor Selection & Vetting

Vendor Selection
& Vetting

Point of Origin Reporting

Point of Origin
Reporting

Food Safety Compliance

Food Safety
Compliance

Reliable Procurement and Distribution

Reliable Procurement
and Distribution

By leveraging the logistics of USDA programs, we integrate local producers and manufacturers into the national school food supply chain, ensuring that fresh, nutritious food makes it to students’ plates—effortlessly.

With industry expertise, strong partnerships, and unmatched distribution capabilities, Gold Star Foods is committed to helping schools, farmers, and USDA programs thrive—together.

shadow line

Farm To School

At Growing Forward, we connect students and school communities to local agriculture through hands-on programs that make food, farming, and nutrition engaging and relevant. Our farm-to-school model is built around three key pathways:

brings local growers into schools to share their experiences and expertise. Students meet the people behind their food, learn how crops are grown, and build real connections to local agriculture.

helps schools feature and distribute local produce on campus. We assist with sourcing and promotion so students have greater everyday access to fresh, locally grown foods.

give students and district leaders the opportunity to visit working farms and see agriculture in action. These guided experiences provide an inside look at food production and sustainability. (Farm field trips are available as a paid program.)

Together, these pathways make it easy for schools to integrate agriculture into daily learning and create meaningful connections between students, educators, and local farms.

Students and farmers harvesting fresh vegetables
Point of origin reporting and supply chain technology

Traceability With Point of Origin Reporting

At Gold Star Foods, we believe knowing where your food comes from matters. That’s why our Growing Forward initiative is designed to make local sourcing more transparent, simple, and impactful for schools and communities.

Our Point of Origin Reporting tools provide full supply-chain visibility by tracing products back to their roots — tracking each item by state and ZIP code so schools can clearly see where their food is sourced. This level of transparency helps support regional agriculture while delivering fresher, higher-quality food to students.

Growing Forward also helps schools strengthen farm-to-table partnerships, identify grant opportunities, and stay aligned with national sourcing standards, including United States Department of Agriculture Buy American requirements. By combining traceability with practical sourcing support, we help districts advance their local purchasing goals with confidence.

Local Sourcing

Local sourcing is the foundation of the Growing Forward initiative created by Gold Star Foods, connecting schools with nearby farmers and producers to deliver fresh, high-quality food while strengthening regional agriculture. By prioritizing locally grown products whenever possible, the program brings fresh ingredients from regional growers into school cafeterias while supporting local economies and creating a more resilient food system.

Explore Local Sourcing

Impact & Support

Strengthening school food systems through local partnerships, transparency, and measurable results

(Data from 2025-2026SY)

78

Local Partners

$23M+

Invested in local sourcing

1,108,026

Cases of local food purchased

21 Million+

Pounds of local food delivered to schools

Driving measurable impact

Expanding market access for small and mid-sized California producers

Increasing availability of fresh, peak-season foods in school meals

Keeping food dollars circulating within local economies

Building transparent, traceable supply chains

Supporting the ecosystem

Farmers & Producers

Consistent demand, fair pricing, and aggregation support

Schools

Streamlined procurement, compliance, and reliable supply

Communities

Stronger regional food systems and improved student access to quality food

Supporting Good Food Procurement

Local Economies

Local
Economies

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental
Sustainability

Valued Workforce

Valued
Workforce

Animal Welfare

Animal
Welfare

Nutritional Integrity

Nutritional
Integrity

Point of origin reporting and supply chain technology

Our Sustainability Commitment

At Growing Forward, sustainability isn’t a side initiative — it’s built into how we connect farms, schools, and communities. We partner with trusted distributors and local growers to create a supply chain that supports the environment, strengthens communities, and delivers fresh food to students in a responsible way.

We actively work to reduce food waste and environmental impact through recycling and composting efforts, while redirecting surplus food to hunger-relief organizations. This helps feed families in need and keeps usable food out of landfills. Our model supports measurable sustainability outcomes that schools can share with students, helping the next generation understand the importance of environmental stewardship.

With a distribution network serving 28+ states, we have the operational strength to reliably support school districts while maintaining a strong commitment to social responsibility. Fair labor practices, employee well-being, and community investment are central to how we operate. Comprehensive employee benefits and collaborative workforce agreements ensure that the people behind the supply chain are supported just as much as the communities we serve.

Through these efforts, Growing Forward helps schools provide fresh, responsibly sourced food while modeling sustainability in action — making it easier to nourish students and care for the planet at the same time.

Contact Us