Building on the priorities of the Maine Food Convergence Project, Processing Work Group, MEFTI, and other networks, the Maine Marinara Collaborative (MMC) increases processor and farmer capacity, addresses the economic benefits of local food, and establishes a foundation for increased purchasing of local and equitable product by Maine institutions. 

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area was recently awarded The Kendall Food Vision Prize. The prize is awarded to organizations and leaders in pursuit of greater production and consumption of food sustainably grown and harvested in New England. HCCA is the fiscal holder of this prize and the MMC is being implemented by Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative and several other Maine food system partners (below).

MMC brings together local supply chain partners to deliver a product and process to transform the way institutions procure food. Impacted partners will identify solutions to historic procurement, supply chain, and processing issues toward future sustainability.

 

Chef Ron Adams stirring up marinara sauce!

Who gets to eat this delicious marinara?

  • 11,000 K12 students in 5 school districts with an average free and reduced lunch rate of 60%

  • 900 beds, 12,000 employees, and 230,000 patient days in 2 of the state’s 3 largest hospitals

  • 2,400 incarcerated persons, including youth, at 7 correctional facilities

For the pilot, 600 cases, or 179,000 servings, of marinara sauce will be produced.

Maine Marinara Collaborative team members at the Isuken Cooperative Farm in Auburn, Maine.

Beautiful farm tomatoes headed for the kitchen!

Maine Marinara Recipe Ingredient List

  • Maine Tomatoes

  • #10 Can Tomato Paste@7# each

  • #10 Can Marazano Crushed@7# each

  • Cornstarch

  • Maine Onion

  • Garlic peeled

  • Dried Basil

  • Maine Carrot

  • Olive Oil

  • Maine Summer Squash

  • Water

  • Granulated Garlic

  • Citric Acid

  • Granulated Garlic

  • Sugar

  • Kosher Salt

Processing Work Group

The Processing Work Group is part the Maine Food Convergence and led by MEFTI. It also serves as an advisory committee for The Marinara Collaborative. This group provides a space to share learnings and develop partnerships so lessons learned can be shared across Maine and the region.

Are you interested in joining?

Email us at a.farrell@hccame.org

Our Partners