The University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded nearly $100,000 through the Kendall Foundation 2025 New England Food Vision Prize to launch UMass Fresh 2Go: Increasing Access to Fresh, Convenient, and Local Food, an innovative retail dining program that will make fresh, locally sourced meals more accessible to students and staff.

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Through a new mobile ordering platform, UMass Fresh 2Go will offer students and staff quality, ready-to-enjoy meals that highlight ingredients from local/ regional farms—including Little Leaf lettuce, Reed Farm chicken, Maine Family Farms beef and Atlas Farm tomatoes. The project aims to strengthen the connection between local producers and campus dining, while making it easier for the campus community to choose sustainable, local options every day.

“This project reflects UMass Dining’s leadership in advancing local sourcing and innovation in campus dining,” said Kathy Wicks, sustainability director for UMass Dining. “By combining technology with our local partnerships, Fresh 2Go will make it simpler than ever for students to enjoy meals that are fresh, convenient and connected to our region’s farms.”

The New England Food Vision Prize, awarded by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, recognizes institutions driving the New England states toward its goal of sourcing 30% of food locally by 2030. The October 2025 round awarded $1.2 million across 13 winning projects, reaching more than 200,000 students across 468 schools and seven higher education institutions in New England. UMass Amherst is receiving $99,961.

“Through Fresh 2Go, we’re proud to continue leading the way in sustainable dining,” said Ken Toong, assistant vice chancellor of Auxiliary Enterprises at UMass Amherst. “This award supports our mission to provide exceptional dining experiences that are both good for our students and staff and good for our local food economy.”

Since the program’s launch in 2018, the Food Vision Prize has invested millions in strengthening New England’s food system. The 2025 awards mark the first year of a renewed five-year commitment under the Kendall Foundation’s 2030 Action Plan: Schools & Students for New England’s Food Future.