With the addition of Farmer’s Fridge vending machines, Marquette students can access on-the-go fresh meals around the clock.
Where are the Farmer‘s Fridges located?
The fridges on campus are currently located on the second floor of the Alumni Memorial Union next to Marquette Place and the second floor of Raynor Library by the Brew Coffee Shop.
What food is available in the Farmer’s Fridge?
Farmer‘s Fridge, a company based out of Chicago, produces packaged fresh salads of different varieties. They also produce on-the-go snacks and breakfast and lunch options.
Depending on the location, the smart fridge is restocked somewhere from a range of once a day to multiple times a week.
The food offered in the green vending machines rotate seasonally based on the season. The detailed menu for the AMU fridge can be found here. Some featured items include the apple pecan salad, chocolate chia seed pudding, pesto pasta bowl and chips and guacamole. They offer meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with snacks and drinks. Prices can range from $5-$10 for majority of items.
Does Farmer’s Fridge accept Marquette Cash?
Brian Kawa, the resident district manager for Marquette’s dining services by Sodexo, said the process to fill the vending machines took longer than anticipated because the company routes to Milwaukee only run overnight when the facilities are closed.
The machines are now fully filled after being empty for two weeks upon installment, but as of now strictly take credit cards and cash as payment. Students can enter their phone number on the machine’s screen to join a rewards program through the Farmer’s Fridge app. For every $100 spent, there will be a code for $9 off.
Kawa said it will not be a part of a Marquette meal plan, but they are working towards students being able to use Marquette Cash.
Kawa said the conversation between Marquette Dining and Farmer’s Fridge started during 2020. But when Covid-19 hit, the conversation drifted.
“When we came back to campus, [after lockdown] we had continued conversations with them. Finally, we brought them in because one of the concerns we had was will our students use it?” Kawa said. “How can we incorporate this into the student ID program, and do they have the ability to have that integration in their system? Once they confirmed the integration opportunity with student IDs, we agreed to bring them onto campus.”
Kawa said there is currently testing and background programs with the student ID in Chicago, and that Marquette will have to do field tests of their own to see if the integration system is up and running for student use. Other universities, such as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, integrated the system on campus in 2018. On UWM’s campus, there is six different fridge locations.
“We’re happy to have them here and if we need to expand on their program on campus, we will and we’re excited for the integration with the student IDs as I think that’s going to be the most importance piece to allow all students to fulfill that need with their Marquette cash, if they need or want to. Once we get that integration done and completed, I think it will be a benefit to the students on campus,” Kawa said.
Expanding across campus
Kawa said there could be two more units coming to campus in the College of Communication building and Zilber Hall.
“Now that [the machines are] open 24/7, students who are in the library have an option, to eat even when the Brew location is closed,” Kawa said. “We believe that this offers a healthier option for students, especially our commuter base.”
Kawa was a part of the decision, along with other members of Sodexo to install Farmer’s Fridge on campus after the company reached out to the university.
“We actually looked at six different locations on campus, and had to get permission for the locations,” Kawa said. “Rick Arcuri, the acting vice president of student affairs, agreed for placement [at the AMU], and at the library [where the fridge is currently located] there was space that dining services accosted with a cooler that was not really being utilized. So, we just removed our cooler and put [Farmer’s Fridge] there.”
This story was written by Trinity Zapotocky. She can be reached at [email protected]
