Chartwells, Compass Group UK & Ireland’s education business, has secured a new contract with the University of Salford, worth almost £40m in total across nine and a half years.
The new partnership will see the 70-strong Chartwells team deliver catering to 11 outlets, across the full extent of the main campus and at the university's operation at MediaCityUK, including 3 large restaurants, 7 cafes, a retail shop, branded offers including Starbucks and Costa, plus hospitality for internal and external events on campus.
Catering to almost 20,000 students, as well as teaching and support staff, the partnership will see Chartwells invest £2.5m to transform the various food destinations under a bespoke new university brand SALFOOD, which will provide a real sense of identity to the catering whilst also being in tune with the students’ taste and aligned to the vision of the university.
SALFOOD will be a blend of different cuisines that cater for the hugely diverse student population. Chartwells will serve up a mix of street food, international dishes, British classics and seasonal offers that change daily whilst always delivering on great value and great taste.
Chartwells will work in partnership with the University of Salford to ensure that the food offer continues to evolve alongside the university. The Chartwells team will also implement a range of added value initiatives that support students with employment prospects.
As part of this, Chartwells will be working with students to create CV and interview workshops and more than 60 employment opportunities for students will be made available across Compass Group UK & Ireland and its venues.
Chris Large, Associate Director for Estates at the University of Salford said: 'Fantastic food that exceeds expectations is just part our commitment to deliver an unrivalled experience for our students. We know that great catering makes our students happy. Chartwells are making this happen for us.”
Robin Mills, Managing Director of Chartwells, said, “We’ve worked closely with the University of Salford to create a unique partnership that really represents their values and vision. We’re keen to evolve with the university and work closely with their team and the students and the plans we’ve got in place for the year ahead are the first step on this exciting journey.”