School Nutrition Association of CT Announces State Award Winners

The non-profit School Nutrition Association of Connecticut (SNACT) has recognized Douglas Wade, of Wade’s Dairy, Inc. in Bridgeport, Conn. as the 2021 Industry Person of the Year. The award recognizes the efforts of an industry member who has demonstrated exemplary support to SNACT members, engages in the sale of products or services to members and has made especially outstanding contributions to the advancement of the child nutrition profession.

Wade’s Dairy is a five-generation family owned and operated business since 1893. What began as a horse and buggy home delivery operation in Easton, Connecticut has grown to be a leading provider of fresh milk, cheese, butter, eggs and a host of related dairy and beverage products in a four-state region. Wade’s Dairy provides fresh milk, bottled water, juice and yogurt to more than one hundred public school systems in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island.

The steadfast service and support led by Douglas Wade has helped local school nutrition programs maintain operations through the pandemic. According to Groton Public Schools Foodservice Director Ernie Koschmieder, Wade has always been fantastic to work with and over the past year has raised the bar for his staff and drivers to adjust to new health and safety protocols.

Groton schools participated in the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program to provide local military families and the community with produce. Koschmieder reached out to Wade for help to receive and refrigerate 21 pallets, totaling 1,300 twenty-pound boxes. Wade sent a truck to the Boston USDA distribution to pick-up and load at 3:30 am, returning back to Groton in a snowstorm, still in time for the 10:00 am meal distribution to the community.

“Doug and his team at Wade’s Dairy have demonstrated a level of commitment to SNACT members and been a true partner and asset to school nutrition programs in the state,” said SNACT President Erica Biagetti, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Cheshire Public Schools. “We are honored to recognize Doug and Wade’s Dairy for all of their efforts, especially during the challenges of this past year.”

Wade, along with other state nutrition award winners, will be recognized during a virtual SNACT “Awards Honor-Palooza!” on May 6. Letters will be sent to the award winners’ school superintendents and Boards of Education in recognition of their outstanding efforts.

About the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut (SNACT)

The School Nutrition Association of Connecticut (SNACT) is one of the leading non-profit organizations committed to educating and supporting school nutrition and food service professionals to ensure all Conn. students have access to nutritious school meals. Providing information, services and continuing education opportunities to school food service professionals in Conn., SNACT promotes the importance and value of school meal programs through partnerships with allied organizations, industry, the school community and the community at large. For more information about SNACT and upcoming events, visit www.snact.org.