Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services, a New York-based food service management company focusing on locally-sourced, nutritious meals, was awarded the contract to manage all of PSU’s dining services starting with the 2017-18 fiscal year.
Chartwells will take the place of Aramark, which had the food service contract for the last 10 years. The new contract is scheduled to begin July 1, 2017, and will be for a minimum of five years and up to 10 years.
The food service contract includes University Housing Dining, Smith Memorial Student Union, Conferences and Events, Viking Pavilion, University Place Hotel and Conference Center and other campus dining locations.
Chartwells was one of four applicants for the new contract, which also included Aramark, Sodexo and A’viands. The application and selection process ran from Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. Students were involved in the selection, from the drafting of the request for proposals to participation on the selection committee.
Chartwells serves 278 campuses in the United States, providing each with customized meal options that fit the unique attributes of each school. Chartwells says it will follow Portland State’s sustainability mission by focusing on local, regional, sustainable and humane foods – similar to what’s it’s doing at Bard (New York) and Green Mountain (Vermont) colleges.
Part of the contract requires Chartwells to make investments in renovating food service facilities on campus. Those investments will be part of an estimated $12.6 million financial return to PSU over 10 years, which will also include scholarships for students, diversity awards and food pantry donations.
Chartwells will bring new vendors to campus, including Salt and Straw, Cha Cha Cha, Smith Tea Maker, Stumptown Coffee and Roman Candle Baking.