This is my written proposal for my BA219 course.

1. Proposal
Bulk Food Store on
Temple University Main
Campus
Submitted to:
Rebecca Collins, Director of Sustainability
Caroline Burkholder, Sustainability Manager
Jason Levy, Senior Director of Student Center Operations
Submitted by:
Brianna Anderson
October 30, 2020

2. 1
Executive Summary
Temple University should implement a bulk food store on its main campus to address
the increasing amount of food and food packaging waste ending up in local landfills. The
amount of waste is increasing over time and Temple has a social responsibility to
decrease its waste within the community.
Temple students, staff, and local community members will have access to the bulk food
store to purchase their routine groceries at a lower cost and in a more sustainable
fashion. For the pilot operating period, the bulk food store will offer nine different food
products that are available for purchase, in addition to glass jars and biodegradable
produce bags that will be sold to customers who do not have their own containers. The
store will be run by the Office of Sustainability with trained student workers operating
the store on a regular basis.
Pending approval, the implementation process will begin in January 2021 and will span
six months. The pilot launch will be scheduled for July 2021 and the official opening will
be in time for the Fall 2021 semester. The pre-implementation costs are relatively low,
totaling $5,510; this includes costs to setup the store for the pilot launch, such as
inventory costs, marketing expenses, and installation fees. Yearly costs to maintain the
store will average $69,745, varying based on product demand and inventory costs.
Initial costs will be subsidized through the Office of Sustainability. Once the store is
operational for three year, profits will make the store self-sustaining.
The bulk food store will provide benefits to students, faculty, and Philadelphia
community members by providing a low cost and sustainable way to purchase groceries.
Additionally, by implementing the bulk food store, Temple can increase their rankings
as an environmentally friendly university, potentially attracting more prospective
students.

3. 2
Description of Need
Waste management is a substantial issue within the United States due to our material-
centric culture and it is getting more severe each year. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Americans discard almost 40 million tons of food every year
equating to more than $161 billion (Food Waste in America in 2020: Statistics & Facts:
RTS, N.D.). In addition to food waste, a major portion of municipal solid waste (MSW)
is comprised of containers and packaging, many of which come from food products
(EPA, 2019). Waste is not only costly, but dangerous to the environment because most
of it ends up in landfills, posing atmospheric risks and perpetuating climate change
(Community Action Works, N.D.). Temple must implement a waste reduction strategy
to uphold its social and environmental responsibilities.
A study was conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
determined that young adults aged 18-24 have a higher tendency to waste food
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences,
2018). This is because they are not familiar with cooking and grocery shopping for
themselves; they rely on dining halls or local restaurants for most of their meals. More
than 70% of the student body at Temple was in the 18-24 age group during the 2018-
2019 academic year. This indicates that most students at Temple have a statistically
higher tendency to waste food (Temple Student Population and Demographics, 2019).
Students do not know how to properly grocery shop for and cook for themselves. They
often purchase pre-made or pre-packaged meals, resulting in excess amount of food and
packaging waste. Temple currently has an active sustainability program that successfully
implements a variety of initiatives but neglects to address food or food packaging waste.
Market Analysis
General Market
Bulk food stores are most often found in larger, more progressive cities such as Los
Angeles and New York City, but are becoming more popular worldwide. Large chain
grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market have bulk food
sections that offer a wide variety of products. More recently, independently owned zero-
waste or plastic free shops have been opening across the nation, serving their local
communities, and offering locally sourced, package-free products. These zero- waste
stores sell products that help people live more sustainable lifestyles in addition to
offering bulk food options. However, the bulk food store on Temple’s campus would
only sell food products and containers, not lifestyle products.

4. 3
University of Washington
A store very similar to the one being proposed is successfully implemented at the
University of Washington in Seattle. At UW, the Student Food Cooperative runs the bulk
food store on campus called “The Bean Basket” which offers a variety of bulk food items
such as grains and dried fruit (Gilbert, E., & Tanaka, C, 2018). The proposed store would
function almost identically to the one at UW, except it would offer glass jars for
purchase if the customer does not bring their own.
Project Details
Process
The process of purchasing items from the bulk food store is like that of a typical grocery
store, with a few modifications (see Appendix A for more details). The goals of a bulk
food store are to promote a more sustainable way of living by eliminating food and food
packaging waste. The bulk food store is a self-serve operation, meaning that the
customer dispenses the desired amount of food into their own container. To ensure that
the bulk food store operates in a sustainable fashion, glass jars and biodegradable
produce bags will be sold to customers who do not bring their own. If a customer brings
their own container, they will receive a discount of 10% on their total purchase. The 10%
container discount will keep overhead costs low because fewer containers will be
supplied, and it promotes a more sustainable lifestyle.
Location and Hours
The bulk food store would be located in the Student Activities Center on the South side
of the building. The Student Center is an ideal location because it is one of the few
buildings on campus that is open to the public; it is also centrally located on campus.
There are many auxiliary rooms in the Student Center South that could be repurposed
as the bulk food store. Placing the bulk food store in a room that is near the food court
would enable students to get snacks at the bulk food store with ease. The store would
operate Monday through Saturday, 10am-8pm. Keeping the store open in the evening is
pertinent to its success because most students do their grocery shopping after classes.

5. 4
Products
The bulk food store will stock a variety of items including baking ingredients, snacks,
and grains. There will be around 15 different items in rotation depending on stock
availability and demand. Alongside the rotational items, there will be at least six ‘staple’
goods available year-round for purchase. Glass jars, ranging from small to large, and
biodegradable produce bags will also be available for purchase for customers who do not
bring their own.
o Rotational Items
o Dried fruits (mangos, raisins, fruit medley)
o Trail mix
o Nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews)
o Sweet snacks (chocolate covered nuts, chocolate covered pretzels, yogurt
dipped pretzels)
o Salty snacks (pretzels, Chex mix, popcorn)
o Honey
o Seasonal nut butter
o Staple Items
o All-purpose flour
o Sugar
o Pasta
o Rice
o Beans
o Oats

6. 5
Implementation Plan
(see Appendix B)
Action Timeframe
Submit proposal to Office of
Sustainability and Student Center
December 2020
Research and Planning
Conduct community wide research to
determine what bulk food options students
and community members would be
interested in.
January 2021
Information Request
Request quotes from potential suppliers
based on the results of the research. Compare
quotes and determine ideal suppliers.
February 2021
Location Planning
Source room in the Student Center to house
the bulk food store. Determine optimal room
setup and make notes of material
requirements.
March 2021
Acquire Supplies
Order all supplies needed for the store
including inventory, storage and selling
containers, and scales.
April 2021
Installation
Pending delivery of supplies, install the
storage containers and set up scales.
May 2021
Hiring and Marketing
Source, interview, and train student workers.
Begin marketing via social media and
posters/flyers around campus.
June 2021
Pilot Launch and Revision
Perform a pilot launch in the beginning of
July. Make any revisions necessary to prepare
for full launch.
July 2021
Official Launch
Open bulk food store for the Fall 2021
Semester.
August 2021

7. 6
Projected Costs
(see Appendix C for more details)
Pre-Implementation
Item Cost
Bulk storage bins $1,000
Scales $1,000
Inventory $700
Installation Costs $1,000
Product Containers $810
Marketing $1,000
Total $5,510
Benefits
• Temple University Students
o Students will be able to obtain food in a sustainable and cost-effective way
by purchasing food in bulk. A centrally located grocery store will make
grocery shopping or purchasing a snack in between classes easier and
more accessible. Students will feel comfortable with their food purchases
knowing that it was ethically and sustainably sourced.
• Community Members
o Because Temple University is in the North Philadelphia community,
community members would be able to utilize the bulk food store for their
routine grocery shopping. Additionally, implementing a sustainable food-
buying option will perpetuate sustainable living and lead to a decrease in
food and food packaging waste in local landfills.
• Temple University
o Temple can earn profits through sales at the bulk food store. The
implementation of the bulk food store will increase Temple’s ranking as an
environmentally friendly college. This increase in ranking could
potentially lead to an influx of sustainably conscious students as well as an
increase in overall applicants due to the added sustainability programs.
Post-Implementation Yearly Costs
Item Cost
Wages $54,945
Marketing $2,000
Inventory $10,000
Product Containers $2,800
Total $69,745

8. 7
Conclusion
Creating the proposed bulk food store on Temple’s campus will benefit students,
community members, and the University by promoting a sustainable and
environmentally friendly lifestyle. The bulk food store offers a solution to the excessive
food and food packaging waste created by young adults living on and around Temple’s
campus. Implementing this service will act as a stepping-stone for students and faculty
to embrace a low-waste lifestyle and will potentially inspire other local universities to do
the same.

9. 8
Appendix A:
Bulk Food purchase process
1. Weigh glass jar or container at scale. (Bypass steps 1-2 if you are using a produce
bag)
2. Record weight of each container on sticker and attach to vessel.
3. Dispense product into jar/container or produce bag. Seal container using jar lid
or by tying a knot in the bag.
4. Proceed to check-out station. The employee will weigh each item and subtract the
weight of the container if applicable. Food items will be charged per pound.
Produce bags are $0.10 each and glass jars range from $5-$12 depending on the
size (prices taken from fillmorecontainer.com and goodstartpackaging.com).
Customers will be charged for all the items purchased.
5. Customers who bring their own containers will receive 10% off the total purchase
price.
Picture of bulk food store
(image by Sara Tane from cookinglight.com)

10. 9
Appendix B:
Timeline

11. 10
Appendix C:
Budget
Pre-Implementation
Item Cost
Bulk storage bins $1,000
Scales $1,000
Inventory $700
Installation Costs $1,000
Product Containers $810
Marketing $1,000
Total $5,510
• Bulk Storage Bins
o This is the amount needed to purchase 3o bulk food storage bins
(restaurantsupply.com).
• Scales
o This is the amount needed to purchase 10 quality scales
(webstaurantstore.com).
• Inventory
o This is the amount needed to purchase nine different bulk food options for
the pilot launch with an additional shipping cushion added. Item
breakdown is as follows. If, on average, there are 15 rotational items
offered, costs will amount to around $10,000 a year for inventory
(Bulkpricefoodshop.com, motherearthnews.com).
Item Quantity Cost
Organic whole wheat pasta $1.99/lbs. x 10 lbs. min bulk order $19.90
Organic Peanut Butter $3.63/lbs. x 9 lbs. min bulk order $32.67
Organic dried black beans $1.26/lbs. x 25 lbs. min bulk order $31.50
Organic Raisins $2.09/lbs. x 30 lbs. min bulk order $62.70
Almonds $4.80/lbs. x 25 lbs. min bulk order $120
Natural Chocolate Chips $2.55/lbs. x 50 lbs. min bulk order $127.50
All-purpose flour $0.552/lbs. x 50 lb. case $27.60
Chocolate Pretzel Grahams $4.31/lbs. x 20 lb. case $86.20
Total: $603.91
Shipping cushion: $96.09
Final Total: $700
Post-Implementation Yearly Costs
Item Cost
Wages $54,945
Marketing $2,000
Inventory $10,000
Product Containers $2,800
Total $69,745

12. 11
• Installation
o This is the amount needed to transform the auxiliary room into the bulk
food store. This includes any tables or shelving systems necessary for
optimal setup, as well as labor costs.
• Product Vessels
o It will cost on average $5 per glass jar and around $60 for an 800 count of
biodegradable produce bags. Assuming 150 glass jars and 800 produce
bags are purchased for the pilot launch, the cost is $810. Assuming 3,200
produce bags and around 500 jars are purchased yearly, the cost will be
$2,800 (fillmorecontainer.com, goodstartpackaging.com).
• Marketing
o This is the amount needed to advertise the bulk food store. The marketing
will be split between online and physical marketing techniques and should
require minimal recurring costs once awareness is established.
• Wages
o This is the amount needed to pay wages for student workers (3 workers x
10 hours per day x 6 days a week x 33 weeks x $9.25 per hour).

13. 12
References
Commercial Ingredient Bins: Restaurant Supply. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
https://www.restaurantsupply.com/storage-and-transport/food-storage-supplies/bulk-
food-storage-containers-and-ingredient-bins/commercial-ingredient-bins
Community Action Works. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
https://communityactionworks.org/issues/waste/
Containers and Packaging: Product-Specific Data. (2019, November 06). Retrieved October 22,
2020, from https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-
recycling/containers-and-packaging-product-specific-data
Cooking. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
https://www.bulkpricedfoodshoppe.com/product-category/cooking/
Digital Portion Scales. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/51285/portion-control-scales.html?filter=display-
type%3Adigital
Eco-friendly Biodegradable Produce Bags: BioBag. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
https://www.goodstartpackaging.com/produce-bags/
Food Waste in America in 2020: Statistics & Facts: RTS. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020,
from https://www.rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america/
Gilbert, E., & Tanaka, C. (2018, April 04). Be boundless at The Bean Basket. Retrieved October
01, 2020, from http://www. dailyuw.com/wellness/article_98c4f9d8-1cfb-11e8-9d3e-
9340cc482db5.html

14. 13
Ogden Publications, I. (n.d.). Dry Goods and Staples: Costs for Packaged vs. Case vs. Bulk.
Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/save-
money-buying-food-in-bulk
Tane, S. (2016). Retrieved 2020, from https://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/how-to-
shop-bulk-aisle-whole-foods
Temple Student Population and Demographics. (2019). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
https://www.univstats.com/colleges/temple-university/student-population/
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. (2018,
August 22). Why are young adults wasting so much food? Study looks at perceptions and
food behaviors. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180822122832.htm
Wholesale Containers, Bottles and Jars. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/containers.html