Gopher Spot Goes Green

Our Mission

Here at the Gopher Spot, we strive towards sustainability in order ensure our positive environmental and social impact. Our goals include:

• Saving Energy

  • Local purchasing reduces the energy used to transport and to preserve your food.
  • Organic foods use no fossil-fuel-based fertilizers or pesticides.

• Improving the Local Economy

  • In order to provide you with the freshest foods, the Gopher Spot purchases much of its food from local vendors.
  • As an active member of the St. Paul community, we partner with and donate to local organizations.
  • Check out our list of local partners.

• Reducing Our Waste Output

  • The Gopher Spot offers organics recycling, converting would-be trash into fertile compost.
  • We sell coffee by the ounce and soup by the scoop to reduce container waste.

• Improving Conditions in Developing Countries

  • Fair-Trade certified products ensure both that farmers are paid fair prices and that their foods are grown in a sustainable manner.

Come check out our variety of sustainable options, including locally-grown, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free products. Together, we can help foster a better tomorrow.

Ongoing Efforts

• Plarn!

  Drop off your plastic bags at the Gopher Spot and our employees will crochet them into handbags! Here's a video on how to make plarn yourself.

• Coffee by the Ounce

  Bring your own cup and save! In order to reduce our waste, we have implemented a pay-by the ounce coffee program.

• Soup by the Scoop

  Starting in the fall, we will also sell Black Cat soup on a per-scoop basis.

• St. Paul Campus-Made Ice Cream and Bratwurst

  The Gopher Spot has partnered with the Dairy Salesroom in the Department of Food Science & Nutrition and the Department of Animal Science to bring you fabulous ice cream and brats made on our own campus.