In Brief 2009-08-01

The University of Rhode Island has named Steven Mello director of dining and retail food operations. He had served as interim director since November and was an associate administrator for the university's dining services since 1995.

Kaiser Permanente says it will become the first large health care provider in the country to offer calorie and nutrition information on its hospital cafeteria menus after a recent study showed that patrons chose healthier options when menus are labeled with those details.

Aramark is opening a gluten-free concession stand at Coors Field, home of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies, reportedly the first such stand in the major leagues, reports the Associated Press. The stand will offer gluten-free hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, brownies and even beer.

Delaware North Cos. Travel Hospitality Services plans to open a Pink's Hot Dogs location at Tom Bradley International Terminal of the Los Angeles World Airport (LAX) later this year. This is the first time that the well-known Pink's brand will be featured at an airport anywhere in the world, and one of only a few times that Pink's food has been served outside of Hollywood, where it is a very notable local product that has garnered numerous celebrity endorsements.

The Hampton (VA) school district is adding Subway branded stations to three additional high schools this fall after a successful experiment at one last year. Bethel, Phoebus and Hampton high schools will join Kecoughtan high school in offering six varieties of the chain's six-inch sub sandwiches.

Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, CA, is serving organic produce grown in its own garden. Originally consisting only of some planters on a patio that grew fresh herbs, the idea expanded when an unused plot on the hospital grounds was secured for a full-fledged garden.

Convenience is the strongest driver of on-campus foodservice use, cited by 65 percent of students surveyed, says the new College & University Consumer Trend Report report from the Technomic, Inc., foodservice consulting organization. The reasons most often given for eating at an off-campus restaurant were better value (43 percent) and better variety (38 percent).

The Library of Congress has hired FAME Food Management to operate its in-house food services and position it for a planned expansion of onsite dining operations. The only onsite dining venue currently is a small cafeteria on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building. Plans call for another dining room and a coffee shop in that building as well as a dining outlet in the courtyard of the Thomas Jefferson Building.

Premier Healthcare Alliance has named Erick Neuharth, executive chef at St. Helena (CA) Hospital the winner of its 2009 Culinary Creations Award.

Two thirds of respondents to a Peapod Biz Bites Survey said they find it a challenge to eat healthy at the workplace, and only seven percent say they eat healthier at the office than at home.

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