Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo, owner of The Breakfast Pig at 265 Bruce St., wants the city's purchasing staff to consider a different vendor for food products.
Caputo's award-winning all-day eatery is known for "badass" breakfasts sourced from local farms, butchers, fisheries and retailers.
At a city council meeting this week, she said the city could do more to buy Canadian.
The city's arenas buy 80 to 90 per cent of their concession food items from Gordon Food Service (GFS), North America's largest privately held food-service distributor.
GFS boasts more than 22,000 employees and 25 distribution centres, nine of them in Canada.
Its North American headquarters is in Wyoming, Michigan.
The company has an open-to-the-public retail store on the I-75 Business Spur in the Michigan Sault.
"I have tried to base my business and basically my existence on buying Canadian and buying local, for a really long time," Caputo said.
"So this is something that I am passionate about, and I try and remain as knowledgeable as I can.
"I commend everyone for the work that they're currently doing, but I do think that, in the most respectful way, more can be done."
"We talked about the use of GFS . . . as a North American company."
"At its heart, it is an American company. I know that there's a Canadian division, but I would really like to see anywhere that is city owned, at least have a conversation with Flanagan Food Service. It is a Canadian-owned company.
"They are among Canada's best-managed companies and they deal with a local food program."
"It is important to really understand when someone defines Ontario food, that can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people and companies.
"And with Flanagan's, they mean it must be born, raised, slaughtered, grown and processed in Ontario," Caputo said.
"Given my restaurant experience, I thought I would throw that in there. I would love to see arenas and other places at least have a conversation with Flanagan's to see if we can get more of those Ontario companies and Canadian companies on the bill."
"The Americans seem to be gloves off, and I understand we're nice Canadians. But purchasing power is where we can set our punches in. I think we really need to be looking to take the best shots here, just even to help our own economy grow."
Here's how Brent Lamming, the city's director of community services, described GFS in a report to Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and city councillors:
Gordon Food Service (GFS) supplies 80 to 90 per cent of food items (canola oil, french fries – McCain, nachos etc.) to purchase in bulk quantities, given the arenas' volume requirements for most items.
This is a North American company with a separate Canadian division.
GFS is a large food distribution company that sources its goods and products from a wide network of suppliers.
Here are some key aspects of their sourcing strategy:
Global and Local Sourcing
- GFS sources products globally from a variety of countries, aiming to meet diverse customer needs
- They also focus on local sourcing to support regional suppliers and meet demand for local products
Supplier Partnerships
- GFS partners with a multitude of suppliers ranging from small local producers to large international manufacturing companies
- These partnerships help ensure a consistent supply of high-quality products
Product Range
- Their products include fresh produce, meats, seafood, dairy, and restaurant supplies, among others
- The sourcing for each category involves different suppliers, with meats and produce often sourced through regional farmers and ranchers
Distribution Centres
- GFS operates multiple distribution centres across North America, which helps manage the supply chain efficiently and ensure timely deliveries
Sustainability and Quality
- The company emphasizes sustainability in its sourcing practices, opting for products with certifications like organic or sustainably harvested
Lamming says that at times, the city has also used Sysco Canada, another North American company with a Canadian division.
Responding to Caputo's suggestion, city staff said they're open to looking at other food-supply options.