Northern Arizona University has selected Sodexho to operate its student food service and manage its conference center

FM Staff

Northern Arizona University has selected Sodexho to operate its student food service and manage its conference center. The 10-year contracts (actually eight years with two one-year renewals) include provisions for upgraded student offerings and an expansion of dining areas in the University Union and du Bois Center. The upgrades to student dining are scheduled to begin June 1 with two University Union dining locations, Union Station and The Eatery, combining to offer new food outlets and concepts for traditional all-you-can-eat dining. The new student dining options will include a soup and salad bar, Mongolian grill, a ‘50s-style diner, vegan and vegetarian selections, international cuisine and current Mexican and American favorites. The Peaks area in du Bois’ south dining also will be expanded and renovated. Seating capacity is also expected to increase, from 290 to 450 in the new dining hall. More locations will also be open late night, and on-campus c-stores in du Bois Center and Gateway Center will get upgrades. On the retail side, several new national brands are being considered, including Einstein’s Bagels, Jamba Juice, Wing Street and Southern Tsunami sushi. The new retail operations would join Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Chick-fil-A. Sodexho Conferencing will manage NAU’s conference center operations, including co-marketing, scheduling and pricing. The conference center contract also includes upscale cuisine for guests at the new complex, which is scheduled to open next spring.