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Elephants Delicatessen has proudly served gourmet food and warm hospitality to the Portland community for 40 years. A pioneer in the specialty and gourmet foods industry, they serve a wide variety of customers through seven retail stores and their catering and sack/box lunch delivery service. Since it was founded in 1979, Elephants has embraced three core values: excellence, unity, and sustainability. Its commitment to these values extends beyond its employees and customers to the larger Portland community, particularly our most vulnerable citizens.
At the end of the night, each of their deli locations will donate approximately 95 percent of their fresh food items to nearby partner organizations. Some of their longtime partners include Lift Urban, Rose Haven, Operation Nightwatch, REACH Community development, and Central City Concern. Elephants' catering and events department also partners with about 30 organizations, primarily shelters, by donating leftover food after events.
Elephants has long been recognized as a champion of sustainable practices that reduce waste, conserve energy, and support other local businesses. They "walk the talk" by investing in products that further this effort, including renewable energy sources, responsible waste management practices, and sustainable transit solutions. They also invest in the local economy: over 90 percent of their significant suppliers are located within 200 miles of Portland, keeping money and employment in the Pacific Northwest.
Elephants is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. Elephants has 100 percent gender pay equity across its staff, and more than 50 percent of its managerial and supervisory positions are held by women and individuals from historically underrepresented communities.