Launch idea: a vendor fair plus a student vote to pick local campus brands
The Chartwells Higher Education dining team at the University of Utah added six local concepts this semester, including Bean Yard Coffee House, Cupbop and The Other Side Donuts. Each semester the team hosts a vendor fair for local businesses and uses student feedback to choose partners; The Other Side Donuts, a former campus caterer, won a permanent space in a residence dining hall after a student vote. The program also sources local ingredients through a hometown produce distributor.
Why it matters for directors: Local brands with campus ties can turn retail outlets into destinations. Run a once-a-semester vendor fair and let students vote, so new concepts launch with built-in demand.
Original source: FoodService Director ↗