I recently partnered with a major school foodservice management company to help increase participation. I must admit that my initial perception of these organizations was challenged as I began to discover how management companies approach feeding children.
When I first began my career in school foodservice I was told by many that management companies would do the following things:
- Fire staff
- Serve inferior products
- Not put more money back into the school foodservice program.
In essence, they were the “big bad wolf”, and struggling districts were the “three little pigs”. I am a firm believer that perception is not always reality. This is why I was open to the idea of partnering with them to raise their participation.
To my surprise, nothing could be further from the truth! I was utterly amazed by the quality they purveyed into a school district. First, I had never seen a display of the food being served that could compare to theirs. In addition, their marketing efforts far exceeded those of a typical school foodservice program. Most important, was their commitment to continuous improvement.
We spent two days developing student-centered menu concepts for their customers. This session was vital because the customers were the focal point (rather than the new regulations) and their efforts were centered on ensuring they “put their best foot forward”. This created a win-win for the organization and the district.
The lesson from this partnership? “Open up. Don’t believe everything you hear!” Take it from me, this company is leading the way in our industry in terms of providing excellence in service.
Share some of your best efforts, things you may have thought would not be successful but were! We’d love to hear from you!
Kern Halls, School Foodservice Consultant and Chief Innovator of Ingenious Culinary Concepts, turns empty dining halls into gold mines of student activity! By seeking out and combining just the right “ingredients” to accomplish what many call impossible: Halls gets students to “want” to dine in your cafeterias!
For his FREE report, the Trifecta Formula for Success that helps you generate additional revenue TODAY, a $197 value, please click here!
