Anti-Kantine is a student-led initiative and protest which advocates for affordable student food at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). For five days between March 6th-10th we made vegan sandwiches which we handed out for free to students in the canteen of Roeterseilandcampus to protest for affordable food and system change.

While handing out sandwiches we invited students to a focusgroup. In this focusgroup we discussed how students believe we should organise food at the university. In this focusgroup we created a list of demands together. The answer is clear: students want a democratic, non-profit, sustainable and inclusive canteen.

We demand:

• Catering at universities becomes non-profit and non-private.  We transition to a university owned canteen.
• The university provides affordable food. No more than 3 euro’s for a full meal, and at least one cheaper option that is also a full meal. The canteen should also be affordable for all staff.
• The university ensures a democratic canteen through a food-board. We want students to have a real and permanent say in how we organize food at the university. The food board should be elected or appointed by elected representatives. It should have formal power over how food is organized. The food board needs an inbuilt system of continuance, and be transparent and approachable for students and staff.
• Canteen staff are offered permanent contracts and receive fair wages.
• The university provides a sustainable and circular catering system from sourcing to food on the plate to waste management.
• The university sources food from ethical and local producers. Food should be seasonal, local and food waste should be avoided.
• The caterer offers transparency: The canteen and all its operations are transparent to the public and accessible online. We want transparency on the source of food, on the wages and budgeting, and the carbon footprint and waste and water management.
• The university ensures inclusivity and accessibility. The canteen has to be accessible for those with physical disabilities. The canteen has options for people with allergies.
• The university establishes a clear timeline to achieve the demands expressed in this petition.