School Dinners - Vendors to Join in on UCL Catering

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07 January 2014 | Updated 01 January 1970

A contract to provide retail catering, vending and hospitality services to 25,000 students and 9,000 staff at University College London's Bloomsbury campus has been won by Sodexo.

The contract starts on 26 January and is for three-and-a-half years with a value of £15.7 million in total or £4.5 million per annum. The contract also has two one-year extension options.

Internationally inspired menus and eclectic, casual dining offers, with a focus on innovation and sustainability, are being planned by a dedicated Sodexo culinary team whose members have experience of meeting the needs of a diverse campus community.

The Food Federation

Sodexo will introduce specially selected independent pop-up and street food providers as guest vendors. The aim is for a range of different small to medium sized food enterprises to come together to provide diversity under an  umbrella brand - The Food Federation. Sodexo’s coffee brand, Aspretto, which is triple certified (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic) will be introduced across all outlets.

David M Smith, UCL’s head of facilities, said: “Sodexo will provide a range of offerings and price bandings, additional vending machines, fine dining for events and extended opening hours to suit staff and student work and study patterns.”

Jane Bristow, MD of Sodexo Education, said: “We are currently developing varied and sustainably sourced, fresh food offers aimed at providing value and flexibility for students."

The contract will see Sodexo providing a bursary fund to support work placements for UCL students. Also planned are a range of carbon reduction schemes along with the introduction of software that will measure the consumption of electricity in all catering outlets across the UCL estate.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 07 January 2014

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