Learning from peers: notes from the NACUFS symposium
February 2nd, 2012
Along with 30 peers, I attended a symposium for foodservice directors in Albuquerque this past week. The annual program, organized by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS), seeks to provide food service directors in self-operated schools a forum for sharing insights on current issues affecting the industry.
Although I had never been to New Mexico (the Land of Enchantment, says the state motto), I had heard about its natural beauty and its Mexican-, Spanish-, and Native American-influenced cuisine. Upon arrival, I enjoyed a green chile cheeseburger from a quick-service restaurant across the street from the hotel. What a treat: it was flavorful and delicious, and the chiles didn’t overpower the burger at all. Later at the symposium, I learned that some of the best chiles in the world grow in the fertile fields along the Rio Grande and Hatch River.
The symposium was an intense, two-and-a-half-day whirlwind. After a food historian talked to us about the state’s famous chiles, we jumped into a series of roundtable discussions, a workshop, and a dozen peer-to-peer discussions. The symposium culminated with a presentation on the business management strategy Six Sigma.
Facilitated by two of NACUFS’s exemplary leaders, Tim Dieter of Villanova and Julaine Kiehn of the University of Missouri, the peer-to-peer discussions were the highlights. During the discussions, we talked about topics affecting our industry candidly, and we listened and learned from one other. Even though every school is different, it was fascinating to hear what works and what doesn’t for others.
Here are 6 topics that especially caught my attention:
1. As the number of students from Asian countries continues to increase, the demand of Asian foods is also rising. For instance, the University of Illinois is seeing interest in Korean food and the cuisines of Southeast Asia grow among students. UCLA just opened its first Pan Asian-themed residential dining facility. And back home at UMass, sushi and stir-fry are now more popular than chicken fingers.
2. Foodservice directors continue to purchase more ingredients locally, including beef, pork, chicken, and eggs. Some are starting to grow their own produce. UC Santa Barbara, Ferrum College, and Wooster College all offered examples. Our own UMass’s permaculture garden also has a great story to tell.
3. To control costs and reduce food waste, more schools are eliminating trays in the cafeterias. UC Riverside even posts the food waste per person per meal every week in each dining commons. When UMass went trayless two years ago, we saw food waste drop by 30%.
4. Since most of the dining operations of NACUFS members need to be financially self-sufficient, every school has to find creative ways to increase revenues to sustain and enhance their programs. This means providing more value to our customers through catering, meal plan reconfiguration and program enhancement, as well as offering premium menus. What works varies widely at each university. The University of Connecticut only offers an unlimited dining meal plan in which students can eat as often as they choose. In contrast, at UMass we offer both unlimited plans and other options including the commuter plan, free Friday dinners at the DCs, and dining at the University Club in the evenings.
5. Convenience stores and food trucks are increasing in popularity. To meet the demand of students looking for more quick grab-and-go options, schools with large commuter populations are adding C-stores and/or purchasing food trucks. For example, Michigan State University combined its residential and retail operations under one department. That’s how we run our retail and residential operations, too. In addition, our BabyBerk Food Truck provides convenience and excitement for customers—not to mention great food at a great price.
6. And finally, there was a lot of talk about marketing and telling your story. Ohio State University recommends developing marketing strategies and measuring their results to determine effectiveness. In other words, good marketing must be able to increase revenues and customer satisfaction. Back at UMass, guest chef series and weekly specials generate greater attendance at meal time while providing excitement.
I was glad to be part of the NACUFS-led discussions—there is so much we can learn from one another. In the end, it’s all about putting students first and taking good care of them.
This is Ken Toong. Thank you for keeping UMass Dining at the top.
Contact Ken at ktoong@mail.aux.umass.edu
You can follow Ken Toong on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/KenToong




