FC Development Corp. and The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé Deepen Partnership with Eastern Connecticut State University Following Successful President’s Picnic

Norwich, CT – September 24, 2026 – FC Development Corp. (FCDC), the brand management and expansion partner for The Farmer’s Cow®, announced a successful collaboration with Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) at the university’s annual President’s Picnic on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The Calfé team from The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé in Willimantic served calfé ice cream to more than 700 students, faculty, and staff, strengthening an ongoing local partnership rooted in community, campus life, and Connecticut-grown food.

The President’s Picnic is an annual student-run gathering that brings together students, faculty, staff, and community members for food, campus spirit, and connection. The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé’s participation reflects a shared commitment to supporting local while giving the ECSU community access to authentic, scratch-made products from right down the road, supporting local family farms.

The partnership continues to expand. The Calfé is planning to supply ice cream and additional items to the newly opened campus grocery store in Hurley Hall, which will feature a dedicated section for local products and businesses. The team is also preparing for the annual Harvest Festival at The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé on October 10, 2026, inviting students and community members to enjoy food, local vendors, activities, and seasonal offerings. In addition, The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé is preparing to announce special catering partnerships for ECSU clubs, sports teams, and campus leaders, along with further collaboration across campus departments and staff.

“Events like the President’s Picnic show how local partnerships can bring the campus community together in a meaningful way,” said Chris Ambrosio, Director of Career Services at Eastern Connecticut State University. “The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé is a nearby partner that students already recognize, and their presence helped make the day more welcoming, more local, and more connected to the community around Eastern.”

Austin Stinson, Marketing Manager, Chartwells Higher Education – Eastern Connecticut State University, added: “One of our goals this school year is to increase the amount of local partnerships Eastern Eats and Chartwells has with our neighbors in the Willimantic area. Being a foodie, I myself enjoy stopping at numerous locations on my way to campus to try new and delicious places; and The Farmers Cow is no different. Hundreds of students stayed in line for a while to sample and create sundaes, and I was in there too! We believe in bringing quality to the Willimantic area and The Farmers Cow shares our vision. We cannot wait for this partnership to get up and running with our new friends!”

Edwin Molina, CEO of FC Development Corp., said: “Eastern Connecticut State University is an important neighbor and partner. Serving more than 700 people at the President’s Picnic was a proud moment for our Calfé team and a reminder of why community relationships matter so much to our team. We are grateful for the collaboration with ECSU and Chartwells and excited about what comes next.”

The collaboration reinforces the companies’ mission of connecting people to the land through local sourcing, family farms, and shared community experiences. As FCDC continues to scale The Farmer’s Cow® Calfé and broaden its network of mission-aligned partners, partnerships like ECSU remain central to the brand’s growth in Connecticut and beyond.

About Eastern Connecticut State University
Eastern Connecticut State University is Connecticut’s public liberal arts university, serving students through academic programs, campus life, and community engagement in Willimantic and beyond.

About Chartwells Higher Education at ECSU
Chartwells Higher Education partners with Eastern Connecticut State University to provide campus dining services, hospitality, and food experiences for students, faculty, and staff.

About The Farmer’s Cow

The Farmer’s Cow® is a cooperative of six family-owned and operated multigenerational Connecticut dairy farms that joined forces in 2003 to bottle and market fresh local milk under one trusted brand. By pooling their milk and delivering it to stores within 48 hours of milking, they offer some of the freshest dairy in New England. Longtime advocates for farmland protection, Chairman Jim Smith of Cushman Farms and other key founding members were instrumental in shaping and passing the landmark 2018 Farmland Preservation Act that strengthened Connecticut’s easement program. Today their six farms protect thousands of permanently preserved acres—the largest single block held by any cooperative in the state. This commitment, and over 20 years of proven success, earned them the prestigious Connecticut Legacy Recognition Award in 2023, affirming their contributions to manufacturing, retail, restaurants, brand development, and clean energy—the sole recipient for the state. The Farmer’s Cow shows that when family farms stand united, they can safeguard both their land and their legacy.

For More Information

Contact: Steve Lane stevel@farmerscowcc.com