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Growth: Attract customers, grow revenue and create hubs of activity
Transformation: Transform campus with cutting edge venues
Customer Loyalty: Create raving fans with dining choices reflecting their preferences & lifestyles
Employee Loyalty: Engender happy, skilled employees who serve you well
Preservation of the Environment: Responsible dining practices that reduce environmental footprint
Community: Cultivate diverse social hubs and learning environments
Baylor University - ARAMARK HELPS BAYLOR REACH 90% VOLUNTARY MEAL PLAN GOAL
Baylor University, located in Waco, Texas, educates over 14,000 students in a campus community focused on integrating academic excellence with Christian beliefs. The mission of the university is to achieve a top-tier distinction among America's leading higher education institutions by providing their students with an exceptional education.
Baylor University chose ARAMARK Higher Education to partner with them in accomplishing the Baylor 2012 initiative, a 10-year plan to obtain national distinction. This initiative included a vigorous expansion of the campus along with improvements and upgrades to the residential dining facilities. As a result, the university has met its goal of being up to 90% in its voluntary meal plan program.
The University of Scranton - Record growth in voluntary meal plan
At University of Scranton, ARAMARK Higher Education opened a Fresh Food Company® restaurant which helped grow record voluntary meal plans penetration up to 91%, including a total of 760 commuter meal plans. A web based signup system encouraged VMP enrollments with e-prompts as students signed up for housing in the spring semester. This system was extremely effective at closing the loop and communicating to all on-campus residents. Among the features of the Fresh Food Company® that attracted students to sign up for the meal plan program are a Mediterranean kitchen with pasta cookers, Panini grills, a brick oven, a Mongolian grill and a produce market with fresh fruits and vegetables displayed, prepared and served as you wait.
University of Florida - Transformation of dining facilities based on student feedback
ARAMARK Higher Education recently transformed the retail dining concepts at the Racquet Club Dining Center at the University of Florida. Previously, this location offered a food court with a Deli, Salad Bar and BK Express. Based on feedback and suggestions from the students, ARAMARK Higher Education introduced Moe's Southwestern Grill (the first one on any college campus) and Chili's Too. The introduction of this dining venue has instantly become a destination among all campus constituents. In the first full year, University of Florida increased revenue by 50% and the number of transactions by more than 120,000 per year.
Vassar College - Peace of mind dining for allergy sufferers
ARAMARK Higher Education created the "Peace of Mind Zone – Relax and Eat Up" specifically for students at Vassar College who suffer from severe allergies and can’t come into contact with even the smallest amounts of the foods to which they are allergic. Although it is a challenge to offer an interesting and varied menu while protecting those students, ARAMARK Higher Education created an area in the dining hall where students with severe allergies can be assured that the food is safe for them to eat.
To accommodate these students, allergen-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and dairy-free foods are served in one central area called the "Peace of Mind Zone". Students with allergies are genuinely appreciative of the efforts of ARAMARK Higher Education when responding to and meeting the needs of this small part of the college community.
Duquesne University - University branded restaurant serves the growing campus community
In partnership with Duquesne University, ARAMARK Higher Education opened Red Ring, a full service restaurant branded specifically for the university. Along with the restaurant, a new catering facility was built to accommodate the growing needs of the university and the surrounding community.
Grand Valley State University - First ever Student Senate Food Committee formed
As a result of ongoing conversations and relationship building with the Student Senate Community Affairs Committee at Grand Valley State University, ARAMARK Higher Education is launching a Student Senate Food Committee. This first ever committee will be run solely by the students and focus exclusively on the dining services available on campus. Long desired by the university and ARAMARK Higher Education, the Senate Food Committee will represent the voice of Dining Services to their peers and express the interests of the students to Dining Services. This win/win situation solidifies the continuing partnership the institution has with ARAMARK to support the student community.
Heidelberg University - 50 year partnership with year over year dining enrollment growth
ARAMARK Higher Education and Heidelberg University have been dining partners for over 50 years. Since its inception as the dining services manager, ARAMARK Higher Education has demonstrated superior leadership by consistently growing the dining program year over year. Through a donation to the university, ARAMARK has been given the honor of naming a private dining room adjoined to the central dining facility. The new university president, Rob Huntington, and ARAMARK look forward to a continuing and productive partnership for many years to come.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI - TRANSITION TO ARAMARK PROVES SUCCESSFUL FOR EMPLOYEES
In 2004, ARAMARK Higher Education was awarded the dining services contract for The University of Southern Mississippi. There was a lot of apprehension from the staff about becoming an employee of ARAMARK. The employees expressed a host of concerns ranging from job security, to seniority to the change in benefits. ARAMARK placed a team member on campus to enrich the employees and oversee the transition. Looking back the employees now consider the transition a success and feel they have been enriched from the experience.
University of Tennessee - Community partnership results in employing 12 refugees
ARAMARK Higher Education at the University of Tennessee has recently hired new employees working in the dish room who are refugees from Burundi. Their employment was a result of an ARAMARK "help wanted" ad that offered a multilingual environment for workers. Bridge Refugee Services, a non-profit volunteer group who works with refugees in East Tennessee, saw the advertisement and contacted the hiring manager.
The result was the hiring of 12 new employees who are now benefiting from on-going English language classes which are a requirement of their employment. They are also learning job specific skills such as equipment usage, food safety, how to operate cooking stations and the fundamentals of hospitality service. Having a job has helped these employees begin the road to normalcy after being witness to a war that has raged in Burundi for over a decade. Finding employment with ARAMARK Dining Services at the University of Tennessee has been a benefit to all involved.
Loyola University Chicago - Hard work and determination paid off for Chinese immigrant
In 2007, Chen Qiuyan was referred to Loyola Dining Services through the Chinese-American Counsel of Chicago. She had recently emigrated from China and had no work experience in the United States. Chen was hired to work at the Simpson Dining salad bar. With little knowledge of the English language, Chen strived to learn from fellow employees and students, who showed great interest in helping her learn English.
With hard work and determination, Chen developed cross-functional skills by assisting other stations at Simpson Dining. With these skills and her drive for continuous improvement, Chen quickly became a highly valued employee. Her knowledge, skills and dedication to her job enabled her to be promoted to Supervisor. Today, Chen is responsible for supervisory duties at Simpson Dining. She also assists in training other Chinese-speaking employees with the hope of helping them excel and grow in their own positions within Loyola Dining Services.
The University of Chicago - Teaching nutrition to Chicago Public School high schoolers
The University of Chicago hosted a weeklong C-CAP Nutrition Camp that offers high school students in the Chicago public schools the opportunity to be taught basic culinary skills while learning about healthy and nutritious cooking. Admission to the nutrition camp is highly selective, with about half of the participants chosen through the Junior Cooking Competition hosted during the school year. The other half gain admission through a lengthy application and interview process. Twenty of the camp participants receive a full scholarship to attend this camp funded by ARAMARK Higher Education.
Executive Chefs from ARAMARK Higher Education's Campus Dining at The University of Chicago opened up their kitchens and lent their expertise to these students while they participated in a series of lectures and labs. The camp culminated with the creation of a cookbook of nutritious recipes that were judged on the final day of camp.
Seton Hill University - Becoming an integral part of the university culture
Seton Hill University has been a partner with ARAMARK Higher Education since 1968. The ARAMARK dining services managers at the university work tirelessly to create a dynamic team that is a part of the culture of the university and the surrounding community. When walking around campus with these individuals most students know them by name and greet them with bright, big smiles. In addition to their responsibilities of managing the dining services program they are also involved in several activities throughout the campus. This includes leading the Green Commitment initiatives for Seton Hill University by growing fresh vegetables to use in the dining services program and exploring the feasibility of producing bio-diesel fuel to power the grounds equipment. They are also active members of the Social Work Club, the Resident Assistant’s Food Training Programming, the Student Activities Council and the Battle of the Buildings. Every holiday season, the dining services team holds an event that is highly anticipated by members of the community, alumni and student population.
Outside the campus, the managers have participated in Habitat for Humanity and are co-advisors to the Make-A-Wish Foundation raising $3,500 per year to grant a wish. Whether it is supporting a worthy cause through a donation of time, product, skill or expertise, the dining services team at Seton Hill University are proud and valuable members of the campus community.
The University of Scranton - EARLY COLLABORATION DRIVES SUCCESS IN NEW STUDENT CENTER
Before the University of Scranton began design and construction on a new student center, they first consulted with their dining service partner, ARAMARK Higher Education. ARAMARK got involved in the ground floor discussion on the type of facility that best served the needs of the students, faculty and staff. The collaboration resulted in the construction of a new student center featuring the Fresh Food Company® restaurant, one of ARAMARK's proprietary residential restaurant brands, and several retail destinations.
THE COLLEGE OF SAINT ROSE - NEW RESIDENTIAL DINING HALL BECOMES A 'MUST-SEE' ON CAMPUS TOUR
ARAMARK Higher Education has been a dining partner of the college for more than 25 years. ARAMARK also provides comprehensive facilities management services to the college. After ARAMARK’s renovation of the residential dining hall the college decided to include a visit to the dining hall as part of the campus tour. Prospective students and their families reacted by taking pictures and sending them to their friends.
Arizona State University - State-of-the art restaurant committed to sustainable dining practices
At Arizona State University, ARAMARK Higher Education transformed a faculty & staff cafeteria into a state-of-the-art, sustainable restaurant that hosts students, faculty, staff and university guests. The Engrained Café comes to Arizona State University as part of ARAMARK's Green Thread™ Platform. It is an opportunity for the campus community to engage in sustainable dining practices though a living-learning restaurant committed to locally grown food and environmentally friendly practices.
California State University, East Bay - Focus on residential life reshapes campus community
ARAMARK Higher Education and California State University, East Bay formed a partnership that has reshaped the campus by placing a greater emphasis on residential student-life. This transition included the expansion of their housing with the addition of Pioneer Heights Residential Student Apartments, which doubled the number of residents from 600 to 1,200. Along with the student apartments, ARAMARK Higher Education and California State University, East Bay partnered to construct the first residential dining commons and a second retail food court with nationally known brands. As a result of these changes, customer satisfaction scores have increased dramatically
The University of Southern Mississippi - Building student loyalty through retail restaurant transformation
To attract and retain the right mix of students that would enrich the Southern Miss legacy, the university decided to enhance the impressions of campus visitors by transforming the campus tour experience. In support of this goal, ARAMARK Higher Education worked with the admissions department to integrate the dining facilities into the campus orientation tours. Highlighted on the campus tour is the new Power House sports restaurant which chronicles the university's impressive history and athletic tradition. The Power House restaurant has become a must see for visitors coming to the Southern Miss campus.
Old Dominion University - MarketMATCH® planning process identifies growth opportunities
Old Dominion University had a strategic goal to transition the university from being a commuter campus to a residential school. To strategically align with the University's Master Plan, ARAMARK Higher Education conducted a MarketMATCH® assessment to create a five year master plan for the university. A new residential community was built which created a new neighborhood on-campus. A part of the new community design included the construction of dining venues featuring nationally known brands. This helped to contribute to the growth in meal plan enrollment by more than 35% in the past three years.
BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLANIA - DONATED USED COOKING OIL FUELS SUMMER BUS
In collaboration with the students and faculty of Bloomsbury University, ARAMARK Higher Education created a small bio-diesel production facility in a converted greenhouse on campus. Using the donated used cooking oil from campus dining, the bio-diesel facility produces enough fuel to keep one of the campus buses running throughout the summer months.
Boston University - 244% increase in recycling from prior year
In partnership with ARAMARK Higher Education Dining Services at Boston University, the university has made a commitment to improving their sustainability efforts. Over the past year, Dining Services has eliminated 594 tons of material from the waste stream including 429 tons of food waste, 90 tons of cardboard and 75 tons of cans and bottles. The effort resulted in a 244% increase in recycling from the prior year. This is the equivalent of saving 1,566 trees, removing 99 cars from the road, and 1,411 cubic yards of avoided landfill space. For the year, Boston University recycled a total of 1,308 tons of waste with 42% being contributed from Dining Services.
To highlight and communicate their ongoing commitment to this effort, ARAMARK Dining Services created Sustainability Boards that are placed in each dining hall. Updated monthly, each board has information on new programs that ARAMARK has initiated such as the transition to green chemicals. The boards also list the local and organic food offerings provided by Dining Services. Boston University is proud of its sustainability efforts and looks to ARAMARK as a major contributor to the success of this effort.
Elon University - Less plastic in landfills results in more savings for university
Elon University included bottled water as a part of their meal plan combo exchange. In lieu of giving every student a reusable plastic mug, ARAMARK Higher Education provided them with a less expensive and more user-friendly reusable aluminum water bottle. The savings from this replacement enabled the university to purchase three filtration machines for meal plan exchange customers. The program resulted in the diversion of an estimated 50,000 plastic bottles from landfills that equate to approximately $23,000 cost savings to the university.
Pacific University - Alignment with university sustainability goals results in higher student satisfaction
ARAMARK Higher Education partnered with Pacific University to implement several eco-friendly improvements on campus. This included a switch to biodegradable disposable wares, the introduction of local and organic offerings in the catering menus, and the adoption of recycled paper for all administrative needs.
ARAMARK Higher Education's sustainability efforts also extend into the local community. Each semester ARAMARK features a Farmer's Market where local produce and dairy farmers showcase their products to students. In fact, over the past year ARAMARK increased their purchase of organic produce by almost 40%. ARAMARK is also working with the "Greening Pacific!" team to educate campus consumers on waste reduction and other responsible practices. Student reaction has been positive with articles appearing in the student newspaper about ARAMARK's efforts. By aligning with Pacific University's campus sustainability goals, student ratings of the overall dining experience, as well as food variety and quality, have increased.
University of Virginia - Dining program sustainability efforts earns an "A" from the Sustainable Endowments Institute
University of Virginia Dining takes the lead in ARAMARK Higher Education's campus sustainability efforts. A "Green Dining" task force led by U.Va. Dining has implemented several changes including: tray-less dining; composting; reduction of food waste by 25%; re-usable to-go containers; compostable commissary packaging; local food buying that increases by almost 5% per year; and a plan to increase sustainable purchasing even more over the next two years. U.Va. Dining and the University of Virginia earned an "A" in Dining Sustainability on the "College Sustainability Report Card" from the Sustainable Endowments Institute.
Boston University - A PARTNERSHIP IN CREATING COMMUNITY
As the dining services provider at Boston University, ARAMARK Higher Education aligns with the University's strategic goal of cultivating community. Boston University looks to ARAMARK to create dining experiences that not only focus on serving nutritious and good food but also in creating gathering places that bring together the campus community.
University of Florida - Respecting cultures and traditions raises student satisfaction
ARAMARK Higher Education at the University of Florida co-hosted the first annual 'Breaking the Fast' dining hall celebration with the student-run organization, Islam on Campus. The Student Government asked ARAMARK Higher Education to partner with the group in serving more than 200 Muslim students traditional fare as part of the celebratory event. Participation in the event extended into the classroom with an International Studies Professor attending the dinner with her class to teach them the traditions of the Muslim culture.
University of Cincinnati - Transformation in dining venues garners national media attention
In partnership with ARAMARK Higher Education, University of Cincinnati sought to enhance the campus feel by connecting the Calhoun and Siddal dining rooms to the newly constructed residential restaurant MarketPointe. Prior to building the new restaurant, ARAMARK Higher Education encouraged the campus community to provide input into the concept and style. As a result, students, faculty and staff can now enjoy the new MarketPointe selections prepared in an open kitchen right in full view. From made-to-order omelets at breakfast, to gourmet wraps at lunch and exhibition-cooked pasta creations at dinner, MarketPointe is unlike the dining halls of the past.
The transformation of the University of Cincinnati's campus has garnered national and international attention in Architecture magazine, the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune. The display cooking style of MarketPointe has made the University of Cincinnati a national leader for its approach to campus dining.