Chesterfield County Public Schools has opened a food distribution center serving school cafeterias. The Food and Nutrition Services Department facility will improve quality and efficiency, increase locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables served in schools, decrease waste, expand cooking capabilities and reduce reliance on processed food.
To celebrate the food distribution center, Chesterfield County Public Schools held a ceremony that featured school leaders wearing aprons and wielding a cleaver to slice through a ribbon of plastic wrap. Renovated after serving as a warehouse for Blue Bunny ice cream, the 20,000-square-foot warehouse is mainly refrigerator and freezer space with some dry storage.
“Four years of work on this project are starting to pay off,” said Food and Nutrition Services Director Berkley Dunbrack, complimenting his 425-employee team for their dedication and noting three main benefits to having warehouse space and delivery trucks. “First, we will save money by dealing directly with suppliers instead of vendors. Second, we will expand the fresh, local produce we serve because — while it is impossible to find one local grower who can supply all of our 67 schools — we will be able to work with multiple local farmers who collectively can fill our orders for tomatoes, berries and other fresh produce. Finally, this facility demonstrates the school system’s commitment to a return to cooking food instead of reheating individually packaged items.”
Chesterfield County Public Schools served 8.9 million meals in 2023-24, and Superintendent Mervin B. Daugherty often says that the Food and Nutrition Services Department operates the biggest restaurant in central Virginia. The food distribution center will mimic a restaurant’s soft opening with changes in school cafeterias rolling out over time so that Food and Nutrition Services can work through any problems that may develop.
“We know this model works because other school divisions (like Chesapeake and Norfolk) have operated distribution centers for years,” Dunbrack said. “Today is just the beginning of improvements that will come in stages.” Future plans include hydroponic gardening of microgreens and a central kitchen operation.
