DALLAS -- Student dining is changing, and no one knows that better than the attendees of the NACUFS Neighborhood Market Retail Workshop.
Held just prior to the NACUFS (National Association of College & University Food Services) annual conference last week, the workshop brought together campus retail leaders to share ideas on how to build traffic, loyalty and revenue in their stores.
Among the findings, Fare Digest extracted five trends driving C&U retail foodservice and five marketing ideas that are translatable to any foodservice-at-retail operation.
Takeaways
- Retail Gains Importance. "People are no longer satisfied with going to the residence dining hall for an organized meal," said Cairon Moore assistant director of dining services at the University of Colorado-Boulder. They want to eat when they are hungry, she continued, not when the cafeteria is open. This is forcing colleges to change their perception of student feeding, with more focus on retail operations.
- "Dorm" Meal Replacements. The success of grab-and-go items depends on the student population, but many operators are finding success in sushi and pizza by the slice and pie programs. Other popular products include whole-bean coffee (be sure of have a grinder in-store), regional products such as maple syrup in the Northeast, and fresh produce.
- The Thrifty Student. College students have not been immune to the recession, and attendees agreed they are by and large less willing to pay for convenience. They understand the value of a dollar and are looking for frugal buys. Case in point: sales of bulk, unpackaged foods such as trail mixes are growing, because they can purchase just what they need at a cheaper price.
- Better Vendor Relationships. College and university operators should be asking more of their vendorsand vice versa, Jon Garrett, senior director of group-purchasing organization Premier Alliance, told attendees. Campus retail outlets are very different from traditional retail: they're slow or even closed for certain parts of the year, they likely cannot sell tobacco or alcohol, they have unique back-office systems, etc. But campus store also cater to tomorrow's consumer, who are also a great audience to test out new trends and products. "Expect high things, but offer full disclosure on what they should expect from you, too," Garrett said.
- Safety First. Security and theft is a major concern for campus retailers--particularly because administration often makes it difficult for them to take safety precautions such as cameras. Operators recommended thwarting "big brother" criticisms by explaining that security cameras and other precautions are for the safety of everyone, students as well as employees.
Marketing Ideas
Retro Techno, Binghamton University
[image-nocss]The Woods diner at Binghamton University in New York is a 1950s-stylestore with a grill serving made-to-order burgers and milkshakes.Departing from the retro theme, it also has touch-screen ordering kiosks as well as a mobile app on the way for students to place orders beforearriving at the store.
C-store Sweep, Purdue University
Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., recently held a drawing for a 30-second shopping spree in one of its stores. The contest generated huge buzz both up to and during the spree itself. Other campuses have seen success with 30-, 45- and even 60-second shopping sprees, often sponsored in part by a vendor.
Name that Store, University of Northern Colorado
When G. Hal Brown started work on a new retail concept, he tasked the student body with naming the store. Despite calls to name it Hal-Mart, the new location--set to open this fall--was coined the Munchie Mart.
Virtual Comment Cards, University of California-Riverside
UC Riverside uses a Web-based service that allows customers to give instant feedback via text message. Any negative feedback is sent directly to a location general manager so he or she can fix the problem immediately. Out of bananas at a store? No problem--on their way.
Loyalty App, Brigham Young University
Punchd, a mobile-based loyalty program, has been a hit on many campuses including Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The mobile app forgoes paper punch cards and plastic loyalty-club cards; customers just point their phone at a unit at the checkout, and their "punch" is automatically recorded.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.