York St John University has awarded a three-year catering and hospitality services contract to Sodexo.
Worth £1.3m a year, the deal comes with an option to extend for a further two years. It is due to begin in August and will see Sodexo provide catering to 6,500 students across six outlets.
Services will include the university’s main dining facility, a range of cafes and a casual dining concept within the Students’ Union that will be open for extended hours.
As part of the contract, Sodexo will commit to developing some of the university’s existing catering facilities, and a number of new roles are planned on campus including that of student experience manager. This position will be focused on improving the student experience and promoting catering services through social media, which Sodexo says it has used to great effect at other university client campuses.
Founded as an education establishment with Church of England traditions in 1841, York St John University’s campus in the centre of York has undergone a £100m transformation over the past ten years.