Sponsored By

Best Concepts: Aramark adapts its college c-store concept POD Market to a high school

Aramark’s adaptation of its POD Market c-store concept to meet the needs of high schoolers in the Chandler USD district while offering federally compliant meal choices has been named winner of the 2021 FM Best Concept Award in the Best Convenience Retailing category.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

July 16, 2021

2 Min Read
FoodService Director logo in a gray background | FoodService Director

The Nutrition Services team at Chandler USD in Arizona considers its students to be sophisticated consumers with high expectations who deserve a “wow” experience, so in partnership with the district’s meal services provider Aramark, it rolled out a creative twist—POD Market for K-12.

Although the POD (Provisions On Demand) Market concept was an original Aramark micro-market design for the college/university market, Aramark managed to adapt it to a K-12 high school environment by designing substantially different programming. For one thing, the company and district wanted to ensure that all students could participate in the space, so it was imperative that most items were meal compatible.

Food_Management_Magazine_Best_Concept-_Chandler_Pod_Market-4.jpg

The beverage selection at the K-12 POD Markets includes Java City Coffee branded drinks.

This allowed students eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the USDA National School Lunch Program to access the venue as regularly as the cash students. In addition, the a la carte program at Chandler USD had to completely be redesigned to offer new Smart Snack compliant items to make the POD Market space new and exciting to the students.

The intent behind the initiative was to provide new experiences to students to enrich and nourish their lives beyond the traditional school cafeteria.

Food_Management_Magazine_Best_Concept-_Chandler_Pod_Market-6.jpg

POD (Provisions On Demand) Market offers a college style service platform that better accords with modern teen preferences as opposed to old-school cafeterias.

Upgrading its spaces and launching new programs has already provided Chandler USD’s meal program with 16% growth over the last three years and the POD Market concept is expected to continue adding to that as schools return to a more normal mode of operation after the past year’s COVID-impacted experience. Already at the two high schools in the district where the POD Markets were installed, positive results have been obtained with Chandler High School, which has an open campus environment, seeing a 12% participation increase off a $65,000 investment on the space and Casteel High a massive 33% increase on a $63,000 investment.

Related:FM announces 2021 Best Concept Award winners

The offerings at the POD Markets are designed to appeal particularly to teens while offering a college style serving environment. Popular menu choices include fresh salads, sub sandwiches, wraps, fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits, bento boxes, fresh fruit cups, hot fan favorites, an elevated a la carte selection and assorted beverages including Java City branded coffee and tea drinks.

Read more about:

Aramark

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

Subscribe to FoodService Director Newsletters
Get the foodservice industry news and insights you need for success, right in your inbox.

You May Also Like