UofL, Kentucky Proud partner to offer local foods at events

Available at sporting events, concerts, shows

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 22, 2015) —University of Louisville and Kentucky Proud are partnering to provide locally produced products at UofL athletic events and concerts and shows at KFC Yum! Center.

Centerplate, the hospitality partner and exclusive provider of food and beverage services across all of UofL’s athletic venues, has agreed to purchase at least $50,000 of Kentucky Proud products in the inaugural year of the partnership.

Foods include: Kentucky Proud popcorn, grown by Western Kentucky farm families and processed by Preferred Popcorn; burgers from The Chop Shop of Wolfe County; Omni Meats of Bowling Green; meats from Brooks Meats of Walton; and Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese of Barren County. These products are agricultural goods bought, sold, grown, raised, manufactured, or processed with sources clearly linked to Kentucky farms.

“We appreciate the University of Louisville making this commitment to Kentucky Proud family farmers and small agribusinesses,” Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “This will create a wave of new Kentucky Proud fans who will demand fresh, local Kentucky Proud foods at UofL athletic events and at their favorite restaurants and groceries. We look forward to enjoying a long and fruitful relationship with UofL.”

The products will be available at UofL athletic events at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, the KFC Yum! Center, Jim Patterson Baseball Stadium, and the University of Louisville Golf Club, all via food and beverage distributor Sysco. Patrons can look for Kentucky Proud items on menus with graphics and descriptions that highlight the local products.

“Centerplate is exceptionally happy to bring these Kentucky Proud farm impact products to fans and guests of the world-class athletic events here at the University of Louisville,” said Thomas Tazbaz, regional vice president for Centerplate. “There’s no better way to provide a true taste of Louisville than to share the best of what Kentucky has to offer.”

Kentucky Proud is the official state farm marketing program. More than 4,000 farmers, processors, retailers, restaurants, school districts, colleges and universities, farmers’ markets, Kentucky state parks, and Kentucky Farm Bureau roadside markets are members of Kentucky Proud. The program is administered by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.