5 things: Compass North America sees 23% organic revenue increase in Q1

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

Compass Group announced organic revenue increased 23% for its North American business in its first quarter of FY2023, ending on Dec. 31, 2022, while organic revenue growth for the company as a whole increased 24%. The company attributed the gains to "strong outsourcing trends with net new business growth of 5.5%, significantly above our historical rate of around 3%, and in line with FY 2022." It also noted that "like for like volumes were particularly strong in Business & Industry, as employees continued to return to the office, and in Sports & Leisure, where participation rates remained high."

Read more:  AGM and Q1 Trading Update

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dining Program is partnering with Nestlé Professional and plant-based soup vendor Wholesome Crave to launch of The Purpose-Driven Plant-Based Incubator, which offers college and university foodservice operators turn-key tips, fully-developed recipes/workshops and collaboration to help speed the introduction of more sustainable, attractive plant-forward offerings on campus menus. The Incubator was developed in collaboration with four-time James Beard Award Winner Chef Michel Nischan of Wholesome Crave and the culinary team at UMass Amherst, and modeled after the UMass Dining plant-forward menu program. It addresses how best to develop flavorful plant-forward recipes, streamline dish preparation, introduce cooking techniques that enhance flavor, work within budget constraints and simplify operational challenges.  More than a dozen other universities have signed up to participate with the Incubator in 2023.

Related:5 tech things: Equipment innovations on display at NAFEM show

Read more: Nestlé Professional, Wholesome Crave and UMass Dining Launch Purpose-Driven Plant-Based Incubator™ to Accelerate Shift in College and University Menus

Burke County Public Schools (BCPS) in North Carolina is rolling out the Pig Rig, a mobile propane grill that will travel to schools serving smoked meats for lunch on Premium Days—a monthly event when BCPS cafeterias offer students a premium entree choice at regular price. The district’s Career & Technical Education Dept. will also benefit from the Pig Rig as high school culinary students will learn about smoking different types of meat later this semester. The Pig Rig debuted on Feb. 7 at Draughn High School, providing smoked chicken thighs to Draughn students as well as surrounding middle schoolers and elementary schoolers.

Related:5 things: Aramark US Food & Support Service unit sees 20% Q1 revenue increase

Read more: BCPS adds the Pig Rig to cafeteria lineup

After already being delayed from last August to this January, the debut of the new University Student Center at Western Michigan University has been pushed forward again, this time to late July. When it does open, the facility’s state-of-the-art residential dining center will feature eight micro-restaurants with views of food preparation, cuisines ranging from traditional to on-trend and international selections, multiple seating options and outdoor views of campus, and a grab’n go location. Retail outlets in the complex will include Starbucks, Mi Pi, Fuego Verde, Re-Fresh Market and a pub.

Read more: Grand opening of Western Michigan University Student Center pushed to July

High quality themed meals served in the Madigan Army Medical Center's Madigan Grill are produced by dietetic interns from the Army’s Graduate Program in Nutrition. The interns, who are second lieutenants, spend 10 months completing classroom training at the C&S in San Antonio, after which they head to a site like Madigan in Washington for a 12-month internship at one of the military treatment facilities. “Interns spend 10 weeks conducting food service operations and management rotations, which culminate in planning and executing a theme meal,” explains Maj. Brittney Nicole, the chief of Production and Service Branch of the Nutrition Care Division at Madigan. “This project requires months of work and an in-depth knowledge of the foodservice operation, from specialized system entry and planning, to ordering, storing, marketing, and managing the production of the meal to approximately 1,000 patrons.”

Read more: Dietetic interns nourish with a theme in mind at Madigan

Bonus: FM On Demand with Tara Fitzpatrick: Keeping at-risk seniors away from the edge in food security and isolation

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]