Penn Dining retail offers a variety of products, ranging from dartboards, flyswatters and Advil to Coca-Cola and hand-packed fruit cups. Of all the sundries to be found at Gourmet Grocer, several are manufactured within the city.Here's a roundup of what local eateries you can find represented there:
4 Every Occasion Cakes & Cupcakes:
Based out of a brick and mortar store in Northwest Philadelphia, Anitria Odum’s cupcakes make their way to Houston Hall and the Gourmet Grocer in varying shades of chocolate, vanilla and more.
Metropolitan Bakery:
After first meeting at the White Dog Cafe around 20 years ago, Wendy Smith Born and James Barrett started the Metropolitan Bakery. Now, with six locations across the city, one can buy their signature granola at the Gourmet Grocer.
Amoroso's Baking Company:
Despite closing its Southwest Philly bakery last year, this centenarian bakery’s rolls can still be found at the Gourmet Grocer for your next hoagie.
Darnel's Cakes:
Founded by Kyle Cuffie-Scott and named for his cousin, Darnel Lamer Ray Scott, who died due to complications from AIDS in 2013, these cookies can be found in the Gourmet Grocer. The project aims to increase awareness of, and decrease stigma surrounding, HIV/AIDS.
Rival Bros.:
Two Philadelphia natives, with a brick-and-mortar store on 24th and Lombard streets, sell their own roasted beans at the Gourmet Grocer and their coffee is sold in Penn Dining cafes across campus.
Rebel Ventures:
Eighth graders at nearby Pepper Middle School started making superfood granola bars to improve the quality of food offered for students. Having worked with several Penn organizations, including the Netter Center’s Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative, the group’s Rebel Bars are available for purchase at the Gourmet Grocer.
Weckerly’s Ice Cream:
Although indefinitely out of stock in Gourmet Grocery, this local microcreamery was started in the kitchen of the Green Line Cafe on 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue. Its handmade ice cream is sourced from local, organic farms.
NuDY Bar:
This local company sells vegan and gluten-free energy bars at Gourmet Grocer in apple cinnamon and cherry fig flavors.
Philly Fair Trade Roasters:
Gourmet Grocer offers a variety of this local roaster’s beans by the pound, as well as its dark chocolate coffee bars. This roaster uses beans from certified Fair Trade cooperatives and “encourages organic practices.”
Severino Pasta Company:
Between prepared shells and dry macaroni, items from this pasta producer, located 7 miles away in Westmont, N.J. can be found at the Gourmet Grocer.
Rock the Roll:
Gourmet Grocer offers five special barbecue sauces from Rock the Roll, a company started by two Philadelphia expatriates who returned to their city and started their own sauce company.
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