Farm-To-Court: Why (And How) The Sacramento Kings Are Making An Unprecedented Commitment To Hyper-Local Food Sourcing
The Cauldron, Sports IllustratedVivek RanadivéOwner & Chairman, Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings represent something “bigger than basketball” — our franchise is a platform for good, a unifier of community and, at our best, a symbol for the amazing region the team calls home.
Armed with, and humbled by, that understanding, as well as by a mission that requires us to enhance the lives of those we touch, we consistently seek opportunities to make a difference, and celebrate the very best of our community.
With our new arena, Golden 1 Center, we see an opportunity to directly honor the people and values of Sacramento. From concept to design to construction, we have purposefully made decisions that shine a light on the people, the businesses and the culture of the Central Valley.
Specifically, as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital — positioned in one of the most bountiful, diverse agricultural regions in the world — we’re uniquely positioned to deliver healthy, fresh and delicious local food to our fans in a way that no other team or arena can. Further, we’re able to do it in a way that directly supports the farmers, ranchers and growers who produce in a good, clean and fair manner.
This community, and those across the country, cannot thrive if we don’t protect our environment and the public’s health. That’s why we decided to make an unprecedented commitment to local sourcing from sustainable producers. In fact, we aim to source 90 percent of our concession program from local farms with environmentally-friendly business practices — a first-of-its-kind commitment among American sports teams.
But it won’t end there. We want to affirm to our fans, the community and the world — why, and how — the Sacramento Kings care about the environment and local economy.
So, today, we’re extending our commitment to sustainability, fresh food and the support of local hunger relief with 10 guiding principles — including the only Farm-to-Fork sourcing goals in the NBA — that will govern all food, sustainability, sourcing and recycling activities at Golden 1 Center.