5 things: Syracuse University suspends in-person dining as COVID cases increase

Each Friday Food Management compiles a list that highlights five things you probably missed in the onsite foodservice news that week and why you should care about them.

Here’s your list for the week of March 15:

Syracuse University is suspending in-person dining on campus and requiring twice-a-week Covid-19 testing of some students to curb a growing outbreak of the virus in dormitories. Among the steps being taken is that all in-person dining sites on campus, including the Schine Student Center, will now offer grab and go service only.

Read more: Syracuse University suspends in-person dining, increases testing as Covid outbreak grows

Ford Motor Co. has told about 30,000 of its employees worldwide who have worked from home that they can continue to do so indefinitely, with flexible hours approved by their managers. Ford’s announcement aligns with a trend toward more openness to remote work by employers, with major employment website Indeed recently reporting that postings for jobs that mention “remote work” have more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began and are still increasing even while vaccinations are accelerating and the pace of new confirmed COVID cases is declining.

Related:5 coronavirus things: Study indicates three-feet distancing as good as six

Read more: Will Work from Home Outlast Virus? Ford's Move Suggests Yes

Food allergy advocacy/research group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) has announced a partnership with Sodexo to implement the group’s expanded FARECheck allergen training program. It expands training options and creates a new multi-level certification process with advanced standards for food establishments designed to strengthen food allergy safety and awareness in foodservice environments like restaurants, college dining halls, senior centers and soup kitchens.

Read more: FARE Unveils New FARECheck Program; Sodexo Becomes First Gold-Level Partner

A collaboration between the food service department at Munson Medical Center in Michigan, the Northwest Food Coalition and the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA) Meals on Wheels program allows Munson patients to receive meals that support their individual health needs along with a package of non-perishable and fresh foods when they leave the hospital. Then, after their first few days home, the NMCAA Meals On Wheels program collaborates with Munson so that the patients receive healthy meals for a total of 10 days.

Related:5 coronavirus things: ‘Unattended retail’ booms due to COVID

Read more: Traverse City-based program sends hospital patients home with healthy meals

Compass Group's India unit has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in online food-tech startup SmartQ, which provides services such as automated billing kiosks, a centralized billing system, NFC (Near Field Communication) prepaid cards and POS software to companies, eliminating queues and minimizing wait times in foodservice outlets like cafeterias. While initial rollout will be in India, the United Kingdom and some other international locations, Compass says it plans to add the USA to the program by end of this year.

Read more: Compass Group acquires majority stake in food-tech startup SmartQ

Bonus: UCLA chefs find new ways to connect with customers

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]