Spruce Catering

Spruce Catering is a Winnipeg-based, sustainable catering team powered by Diversity Food Services. We cook with fresh, local ingredients and bring award-winning culinary skill to every event—delivered with care by our chefs and service team.

What We Offer

Full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations—whether you’re planning a plated dinner, cocktail reception, or buffet.

Venues & Locations

We operate food service at FortWhyte Alive, Buffalo Stone Café, and the University of Winnipeg cafeterias and catering.
We also cater at venues such as the Aviation Museum and the Manitoba Museum, and we can bring Spruce Catering to any location you choose—in Winnipeg or beyond.

Food That Brings People Together—and Builds Community

At Spruce Catering, we believe great food has the power to connect people and create meaningful change. As a chef-driven social enterprise managed by Diversity Food Services, we craft exceptional dining experiences while making a positive social and economic impact in our community.

Founded in 2009 by Dr. Lloyd Axworthy (former President of the University of Winnipeg), Spruce Catering was built on a commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and ethical food practices. Early operational leadership from Kirsten Godbout helped shape the systems and culture that still guide us today. Though now retired, her legacy lives on in the way we care for our guests, our staff, and our community.

Local Partnerships, Thoughtful Ingredients

We proudly partner with local farmers and producers—including Prairie Quinoa, DeRuyck’s Top of the Hill Farm, Tamarack Farms, Wild Earth Farms, Bothwell Cheese, Nature’s Farm, Notre Dame Creamery, and more—so our ingredients are fresh, high-quality, and sourced with care. Supporting local agriculture helps reduce our footprint while strengthening Manitoba’s food economy.

People-First Impact

Our impact goes beyond ingredients. We create meaningful employment and skills development opportunities, providing jobs and training for people from diverse backgrounds—including newcomers to Canada, Indigenous community members, and those overcoming barriers to employment.

We’re also committed to responsible operations: minimizing food waste, planning menus thoughtfully, and offering inclusive options that respect cultural traditions, dietary needs, and accessibility.

Leadership Today

Diversity Food Services is led by a three-woman executive team: CEO Jessica Young, COO Melanie Gerodias-Mitchell, and Executive Director of Finance Pamela Kirkpatrick. Together, our goal is to grow Winnipeg’s strongest sustainable catering company—while strengthening what it means to work here.

How We Support Our Team

We’re investing in our people so our team can thrive and deliver our mandate with excellence, including:

• Equal access to employee benefits and RRSP support

• Paid sick time and family-friendly leave support

• Access to Peg City Car Co-op

• Wages above minimum and living-wage-focused compensation

• Staff meals on shift

Awards & Recognition

Our commitment to sustainability and quality has been recognized locally and nationally, including:

• LEAF Canada Awards — Greenest Restaurant (2018, 2020)

• Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards — Champion for Sustainability (2018)

• AASHE-STARS — Highest-scoring campus dining facility for sustainability in North America (multiple years, including 2017, 2019, 2022)

• Sierra Club Magazine — Top score in Cool Schools food category (2017)

• CIAO Magazine — Restaurant of the Year (2015)