SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 10, 2007-Vail Resorts, Inc. (VR) will serve natural, hormone-free meats and poultry and organic dairy products in 40 on-mountain restaurants at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly during the 2007-2008 ski season. VR says it will serve more meals made with natural meats and certified organic dairy products each year than any other restaurant operator in North America. To accomplish this, VR has formed a Good Food Partnership with natural and organic meat producer Coleman Natural Foods LLC and WhiteWave Foods Company, maker of Horizon Organic dairy products.

 

"Our decision to launch good food on a grand scale is about the investment we are making in our guests, particularly kids, to ensure that we are doing our part to make our dining experience as healthy, clean and natural as the activities that happen every day on our mountains," said Vail CEO Rob Katz.   

 

Vail Resorts serves more than 2.5 million lunches each ski season at approximately 40 on-mountain venues across its five ski resorts. The sheer size of its good-food effort prevents VR from sourcing natural and organic food for 100 percent of its needs, especially eggs and ice cream. Still, approximately 90 percent of its fresh meats will be purchased from Coleman Natural, and 87 percent of its fresh dairy goods will be organic for the 2007-2008 season. VR hopes to increase the amount of natural and organic foods in future seasons.

 

Vail is thus joining the trend toward natural and organic food, sales of which grew by 20 percent in 2006. VR will prepare and serve approximately 450,000 pounds of Coleman Natural meat, including 180,000 pounds of beef and 135,000 pounds of chicken. WhiteWave products will include 48,000 pounds of organic butter and 137,000 pounds of organic cheese.

Coleman and WhiteWave are major and committed natural-food suppliers. Coleman Natural meats are free from antibiotics, added hormones, artificial ingredients and preservatives, and Coleman Natural ranchers pledge humane and sustainable raising practices. WhiteWave's Horizon Organic offers foods produced without the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones or pesticides.

 

"We know how difficult it can be to maintain a healthy, organic diet when eating away from home, which is why we're especially excited to partner with Vail Resorts to provide mountain diners with our healthy, organic dairy products," said Blaine McPeak, president of Horizon Organic. "Working with Vail Resorts to provide products that are produced using sustainable and holistic farming methods helps family farmers, our land, animals and the planet." 

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