Mariposa Farms
Kettleman's Bagel Co.
Fulton's Sugar Bush
Rideau Pines
We believe food tastes better when you know its story. Many of our ingredients are sourced from family farms and artisans in the Ottawa area. When we can’t source from our Carleton community, we prioritize purchasing from ethical producers who engage in practices that minimize the pressures placed on our environment’s natural resources.
Local Food Week
Every fall, we showcase local farmers and artisans with a week-long special menu in the caf. Throughout the week, students have the opportunity to meet producers from the Ottawa community and learn about their craft.
Check out highlights from our previous Local Food Week celebrations.
Local Food Week 2021 Highlights
Meet The People Behind Your Plate
Learn about some of the local partners who provide fresh and delicious ingredients to Carleton’s kitchens.
Carleton University Biology Department
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 0 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Potatoes, peppers, garlic, honey
Located behind the H.H.J. Nesbitt Biology building is a classroom garden that offers hands-on learning experiences for students and produces a variety of ingredients utilized by Carleton Dining. Under the guidance of Professor Myron Smith, Carleton students produce foods such as peppers, garlic, potatoes, and honey while learning about plant biology.
Pictured: Professor Myron Smith
Equator Coffee Roasters
Location: Almonte, ON
Distance from Campus: 50 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Coffee
Equator has been roasting, delivering, and serving fresh, fair trade, organic coffee since 1998. Founded by Craig and Amber Hall with the goal of making a difference globally and locally, the name was chosen for a reason: to ‘Equate’ the benefit of drinking coffee, not just for the consumer but for all the people along the way, from our staff who pack and serve it- to the farmers who grow it. Learn more about Equator’s impact.
Pictured: Craig Hall (left) with one of the many small-scale organic coffee farmers Equator partners with.
Photo by Equator Coffee Roasters
Mariposa Farms
Location: Plantagenet, ON
Distance from Campus: 60 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Duck, pork, vegetables
Mariposa Farms is a small but intensive 100-acre operation. The Mariposa property was purchased by Ian Walker at the age of 19, more than thirty years ago. Mariposa’s approach to food is one centred on taste and sustainability. All of the farm’s animals and vegetables are produced with chemical-free products. Kitchen scraps are collected from restaurants around the city and used to feed livestock. This method reduces food waste and maintains the soil’s fertility. Walker continues to own and operate Mariposa farms, with his partner Suzanne.
Photo by Jamie Kronick
Ottawa Samosa
Location: Kanata, ON
Distance from Campus: 22 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Samosas
Ottawa Samosa is primarily made up of Owais Khan and his wife Rumana who is the main chef. Neither had expected to work in the culinary business, although Owais’s father owned an Indian restaurant called Meezan when he lived in Toronto and Rumana fostered a love for cooking by making traditional Indian food growing up, learning from her parents and in-laws and watching YouTube videos. Ottawa Samosa was developed in 2014 after Owais’ father passed away due to a complication in surgery. It had been a dream of his to open a place in Ottawa that sold incredible samosas like he used to sell in Toronto. For that reason, Owais and his family felt very strongly about fulfilling it for him.
Pictured: Owais and Rumana
St.Albert’s Cheese Co-op
Location: St.Albert, ON
Distance from Campus: 59 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Cheese curds, sliced cheese
The St-Albert Cheese Co-operative is one of the oldest cooperatives in Canada, with its origins dating back to 1894. The co-op is a democratic organization owned by a group of dairy producers in the St. Albert area. We use St.Albert’s cheese curds to create the classic Canadian dish, poutine, at Burger 101 in the Food Court.
Catena Farm
Location: Shawville, QC
Distance from Campus: 82 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Vegetables
Jennie Videto and Chris Lambert originally started their operations on a small garden plot in downtown Ottawa, where they solid garlic and seedlings. They eventually outgrew the garden plot and moved their operations to Shawville, QC, about an hour northwest of campus. The two are very committed to sustainable small-scale farm operations. Catena Farm uses regenerative agriculture practices, attempting to mimic the way nature works, feeding the soil with natural inputs that feed our crops and in turn, feed us. They have worked hard to eliminate plastic, in any capacity, from their operations. Catena is the Latin word for chain. Catena Farm symbolizes this by cultivating the fundamental link between the sun’s energy, water, air, microbiology, soil, plants, and animals.
Photo by Suzy Lamont
Le Coprin Mushrooms
Location: Farrellton, QC
Distance from Campus: 50 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Mushrooms
For the last 15 years, Le Coprin Mushrooms has been supping local area chefs with some of the finest and most exotic mushrooms available. Owned and operated by Christophe Marineau-Mes, the organic mushroom farm produces a ton and a half of exotic varieties each month.
Photo by Amy Zambonin
Broadwood Farms
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 20 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Microgreens
After working for 15 years as an engineer in the aerospace and defence industries, Carleton Alumni Bradley Grice, followed his passion for the quality and nutrition of local food by starting Broadwood Farm. His farm provides our caf with fresh microgreens used to garnish our dishes.
Rideau Pines Farms
Location: North Gower, ON
Distance from Campus: 20 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, beets, and more!
In 1980, John Vandenberg bought an abandoned dairy farm that would eventually be transformed into Rideau Pines. The farm has been passed down to the next Vandenberg generation, who grow many different types of berries, vegetables, and seeds. John’s son, Matt Vandenberg, currently manages the farm and is passionate about fostering a local food network in Ottawa. Matt has developed close partnerships with local restaurants in the National Capital Region.
Pictured: Matt Vanderberg
Centre Maraîchers Eugène Guinois
Location: St.Remi, QC
Distance from Campus: 200 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Lettuce, celery
Behind the “Center Maraîcher”, you will find more than 100 years of traditions. At the age of 16, in search of a better life, Pierre Guinois and his family settled in Canada and began cultivating land acquired near Montreal. From father to son, know-how has been passed on and it is now Mr. Eugène Guinois Jr. accompanied by his wife Denise and their children who can be proud of this great success.
Today, the company has become the largest lettuce producer in Canada, with more than 2,000 acres of crops and more than 400 employees. CME Guinois delivers more than 1,500,000 crates of vegetables a year and this beautiful business is still family-owned.
Photo by Mangez Quebec
Crerar’s Honey Ltd.
Location: Vernon, ON
Distance from Campus: 33 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Honey
The Crerar family emigrated to Canada in 1852 from Perth, Scotland. In 1914, during the First World War, Duff Crerar, of Osgoode Township, purchased his first hives of honeybees. For the next several decades, Duff expanded the colonies and his knowledge of bee handling, earning him the title of “Honey King of Canada” at the 1941 Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Duff passed away in 1951, and his son Ian (pictured) took over the business at only 17 years old. Ian grew Crerar’s Honey Ltd. to be a well-known honey producer in Eastern Ontario. Duff’s son, Ian, now retired, grandson, Jeff, and great-grandson, Paul, carry on the family tradition/business.
Photo by Van Dunsen
Farinella
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 2 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Focaccia
Ottawa natives, Nina and Cesare Agostini, grew up in an Italian household, immersed in the art of cooking. Both spent several years in Italy receiving professional culinary training in gelaterias and pizzerias. The two took their knowledge home and opened Farinella in Ottawa’s Little Italy. Carleton Dining sources Farinella’s bakery-style pizza.
Photo by David Boily
Slipacoff’s Premium Meats
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 7 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Beef, chicken, pork
The Slipacoff family has been in the meat business for more than 75 years. Charles Slipacoff owned the original butcher shop in the Byward Market. His son, David Slipacoff, later began a wholesale meat business providing prime cuts of meat to Ottawa’s top restaurants. Premium Meats has now expanded to include the same first-class meat delivered to private individuals throughout the Ottawa region. Today, David’s son Ian Slipacoff (pictured, left) with the help of Marc Steele (pictured, right) manage Slipacoff’s Premium Meats.
La Soyarie
Location: Gatineau, QC
Distance from Campus: 15 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Tofu
Koichi Watanabe, owner, and founder of La Soyarie, was born in Japan. For Koichi, tofu is a family affair; with his brother having several years of tofu experience in Japan. When Koichi immigrated to Canada and moved to Ottawa in 1975, there was virtually no tofu business. In 1982, with the help of his brother, Koichi opened Soyarie in a small bakery in Hull, Quebec. Soyarie has since grown out of that bakery and is now Quebec’s leading producer of tofu, producing on average six metric tons of tofu per day!
Photo by Martin Chamberland
Camino
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 5 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, coconut shavings
Camino is a Canadian brand of fair trade and organic food products, owned by La Siembra Co-operative, based in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
Established in 1999, La Siembra Co-operative became the first registered importers of Fairtrade Certified cocoa and sugar in North America and today works directly with 18 producer co-ops, supporting more than 36,000 family farmers in 9 countries.
Photo by La Siembra Co-operative
Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Pancake House
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 70 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Maple Syrup
In the early 1840s, three Scottish brothers from the Fulton family immigrated to rural Ontario and settled on a 400-acre lot full of maple sugar trees. More than 150 years and six generations later, the Fulton family continues to produce sweet treats just 45 minutes west of campus. Today, Shirley Fulton and her son Scott continue to operate the historic farm.
Photo by Maple Weekend Ontario
Kettleman’s Bagel Co.
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 7 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Bagels
Founder and Montreal native Craig Buckley opened the first store in Ottawa in August of 1993. When he started the business, he simply wanted to make the best bagels you could find. By rolling, kettling, and baking traditional Montreal style bagels in a wood-burning-oven using handpicked hardwood, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to the traditional quality of the food, the Ottawa based business has become a food institution of sorts for over 25 years.
Photo by Mark Holleron
Portuguese Bakery
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 7 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Bread, pastries
Established in 1960 and in the heart of Ottawa, Portuguese Bakery is a family-owned and operated business founded on quality food and service. Co-owned by Rita Adas and her husband, Portuguese Bakery is passionate about providing authentic Portuguese baked goods to Ottawa while also providing opportunities to Syrian refugees in the community. In 2016, Rita opened a Syrian Kitchen as an addition to their bakery which offers jobs to Syrian refugees.
Pictured: Co-owner Rita with Portuguese Bakery’s first chef hired as a refugee for their Syrian Kitchen, Mohammed Al Mahasna
Photo by Julie Oliver
SuzyQ Doughnuts
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 6 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Donuts
Susan Hamer (pictured) opened SuzyQ Donuts 2012. The beloved doughnut shop is located just minutes from campus, on Wellington Street. Susan uses her mother’s doughnut recipe and prioritizes incorporating local ingredients into her products.
Photo by Julie Oliver
Bourget Farm
Location: Saint-Remi, QC
Distance from Campus: 200 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Peppers, broccoli
Twenty years ago the Bourget Family founded a farm in St.Remi, Quebec. Today, the farm remains in the family; run by brothers, Pierre Andre, Erics and Benoit. Joe (pictured) has worked on the Bourget Farm for several seasons. Joe helps germinate peppers during the spring and examines the plants during the summer for pests and health issues.
Pictured: Joe
Ferme Valupierre
Location: Saint-Laurent-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, QC
Distance from Campus: 400 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Potatoes
In 1953, the Vaillancourt brothers, Adrien and Gerard, purchase land to grow potatoes and breed cattle. Adrien’s son, Pierre, and his wife Lucie begin managing the farm in 1989 and introduce strawberries in the farm’s production. In 2000, Ferme Valupierre begins specializing in potato production, and the farm expands by purchasing land along the Saint Laurent River on Île d’Orléans. Today, the farm grows more than 15 varieties of potatoes and continually invests in innovation to minimize the environmental impact of their potato production and packaging.
Pictured: Pierre and Lucie Vaillancourt
Photo by Ferme Valupierre
Kiwan Farms
Location: Ottawa, ON
Distance from Campus: 16 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Beets, peppers, tomatoes, and more!
The hobby farm Rola and Robbie Kiwan started in 1995 is now a thriving family business and greenhouse operation. Field-fresh fruit and vegetables are hand-picked, sorted and sold at the farm gate on a daily basis. Each season, the Kiwans also transplant and sell locally adapted seedlings they have started in their greenhouse. Their Lebanese cucumbers are a unique local favourite!
Carleton Mushrooms
Location: Saint-Liguori, QC
Distance from Campus: 235 km
Products Used in CU Kitchens: Zucchini
In 1984, Fernando and Anabela Medeiros had a dream of building a mushroom farm. With 15 years of mushroom farming experience under their belt, they started Carleton Mushroom Farms, a small family farm in Osgoode, Ontario, about 30 minutes south of campus. Over the years their dreams and ambitions continued to grow, as did the farm. With family always at the heart of their farming practices, Fernando and Anabela’s two sons, Fernando Jr. and Mike took over the daily operations and management in 2005. Learn more about Carleton Mushrooms’ growing process.
Pictured: Mike Medeiros
Photo by Luda Farms