Gather & Gather has won a major, long term contract with Edinburgh College for student and staff catering and hospitality across its four campuses - its first FEHE sector contract.
Edinburgh College, which has 24,000 students, has benefited from an upfront investment of £300k by Gather & Gather to transform the catering environments by improving the equipment, furniture and facilities in the college’s shops and food courts.
Gather & Gather will also launch a street food van, which will travel around the campuses hosting pop up street food menus from around the world, a ribs and wings menu, noodle bar and regional dishes, throughout the year.
Gather & Gather will introduce digital technology, including menu screens, contactless payments terminals and the YoYo app to allow students to pay for their food in the most convenient and speedy way. The YoYo app allows food to be pre-ordered and paid for without the need for cash or cards.
There will also be a new visual brand identity for the college’s catering outlets, which will be consistent across all four campuses. This revamp is designed to create vibrant spaces where students can meet and collaborate.
Union Coffee’s hand-roasted blend Camino has been introduced, and a new artisan coffee shop will open on the Milton Road campus. As part of its commitment to work with increasing numbers of local suppliers, Gather & Gather will also source coffee and other supplies from businesses within the local region. Vegan inspired dishes will be introduced at the Sighthill campus, as well as a ‘grab and go’ convenience option at Granton campus.
The company has also pledged to support the college’s Hospitality curriculum by providing students with extra learning opportunities, as well as access to industry events and culinary demonstrations to inspire future graduates.
Allister Richards, Managing Director, Gather & Gather, said, “We are very pleased Edinburgh College has chosen Gather & Gather to transform its catering offer and are looking forward to bringing our contemporary approach to food, service and technology to refresh the experience for students and staff across all four campuses. We’re also delighted to be supporting the Hospitality curriculum to provide learning and development opportunities.”