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“We serve 4,600 education campuses across 42 countries”
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Monday, 28 March, 2022, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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 Sodexo Education, India’s leading food and facilities management company, a one-stop solution for enhancing students’ on campus experience, serves over 50 million healthy & nutritious meals every day to 1,00,000 students and 4,500 staff and faculty. “We pay a lot of importance to kitchen management and its efficient running. We ensure uniform cooking which leads to retention of nutrients, improved productivity & food services, saving consumption of water, energy efficiency, and better working conditions for kitchen staff. We are piloting an AI-Powered Kitchen management system to reduce human errors and increase efficiency,” says Nitin Trikha, country segment director-education India, Sodexo, in an email interaction with Nandita Vijay. Excerpts:
How come Sodexo looked at a meal serving business venture?
Sodexo, since its launch in 1966, has been focussed on food services for institutions, businesses, schools, and hospitals. In 1971, Sodexo served its first school meals during a year when Sodexo also won contracts in companies and government services. Slowly Sodexo expanded largely and entered different countries with their services. Sodexo India provides a bouquet of 100+ service offerings to varied clientele: corporates, healthcare organisations, manufacturing locations, educational institutes, and in remote environments too. The offerings range across food & catering, facilities management, technical services, workplace experience, energy management, and benefits & rewards services. We develop food services solutions tailored to the evolving need of the consumers & environments. In India, the newly launched food offerings are Food & Co. and Food & You to delight students at various schools & universities respectively.
Food & Co. partners with schools like international schools, residential schools, and premium private schools. Whereas, Food & You targets universities and it has many multiple sub-modules into it. Foodiverse is the retail food brand portfolio for education campuses with various sub-brands adding exciting food choices to students at pocket-friendly prices at the convenience of the campus environment. Sodexo is proud to serve iconic 4,600 education campuses across 42 countries. That means we get to serve millions of students every day while bringing innovative approaches and best practices from around all the corners of the globe.
When did Food & Co. and Food & You start?
Food & Co and Food & You were introduced two years back in the Indian market. Both these encourage students to connect, build camaraderie and hold inspiring and engaging conversations over food. We bring this space to life by providing a variety of tasty food that confirms the Wellness Charter, drawn up by our global team of nutritionists.
What is the cost per meal?
Depending on the needs of the schools and universities, the cost can be completely realigned and worked with the management of respective institutes to come up with the customised meal plan cost which is suitable, acceptable, and adaptable by the students. There is no cookie-cutter approach or a one-price approach.
Can you detail the operational strategy and kitchen facility?
Our core business approach is to deliver a range of consumer-focused food & campus care solutions, built on strong consumer insight and tailored to meet our clients’ needs. We came up with separate modules like Food & Co. for schools and Food & You for universities because we know from detailed insights of the changing needs of students’ lives from school to university. Our menu is curated based on massive research, global food trends, and consumer feedback. We bring in the sweet balance of taste and nutrition and provide these institutes with healthy and balanced meal options every day.
We pay a lot of importance to kitchen management and its efficient running. The focus is for kitchens to run uniform cooking which leads to retention of nutrients, improved productivity & food services, saving consumption of water, energy efficiency, and better working conditions for kitchen staff. We are piloting an AI-powered kitchen management system to reduce human errors and increase efficiency.
How many schools and colleges have these facilities?
We serve 4,600 education campuses across 42 countries with exceptional food, facilities & campus care services for over 50 years. In India, currently, we work with premium schools & universities across 15 states & 20 cities serving over 50 million healthy & nutritious meals annually to 1,00,000 students and 10,000 staff and faculty.
What is a typical Homelicious menu for the four meals a day?
Homelicious is Food & Co.'s niche concept serving home-style Indian food to students across all age groups striking the right balance between nostalgia and nutrition. The menu is designed in a unique way that ensures the nutritional requirement of the right balance of protein, carbs, vitamins & other essential micronutrients that aid in the student’s growth and development.
For instance the Nourish Power Break consists of Hot Milk and 4 pieces of Almond or 1 Whole Walnut. Breakfast has Paneer Paratha, Curd, Pickle or Masala Idli, Sambar, Coconut Chutney, Tea / Coffee / Boost Milk. The Mid - Morning Snack has Baked Orange Yogurt and Watermelon Juice. Lunch has Kachumber Salad, Subz Handi, Chole Amritsari, Veg Biryani, Tawa Roti and Fruit Custard. Evening Snack has Baked Veg Calzone and Buttermilk (Tetrapak), Late Evening Snack has Aloo Bun, Tomato Ketchup.
Who are the takers of Fusion Fix?
Fusion Fix provides all the international cuisines under one umbrella. Entire breakfast, lunch, dinner and break time meal is designed so that it attracts the sensibilities of international and Indian students. Fusion Fix is mostly designed for schools that have more international students living and learning on Indian campuses.
Why has the company opted for four categories of Food & Co. - Homelicious, Fusion Fix, Energize, and Tiffin Ease?
We aim at fulfilling the nutrition requirements and overall well-being of students living away from their homes. We make the dining experience at schools refreshing both for the mind and palate. We bring along an approach ensuring that the students aspire to be part of our journey with the school. Our efficient service ensures that the food is served with a smooth flow and precision, making sure that every student is served their meals in the right portion & regular intervals. We keep health and wellness as our focal point through all meals by creating a nutritionally balanced food offer. We believe that improving the health and well-being of children is the strongest foundation in improving their quality of life.
Homelicious is Food & Co.'s niche concept serving home-style Indian food to students across all age groups striking the right balance between nostalgia and nutrition. Homelicious has a menu spread across all-day parts starting from breakfast, going through lunch, snacks, dinner, and extending up to late-night beverages.
Fusion Fix does complete justice to its name and gives Food & Co. offers a global touch by focussing on world-renowned preparations across all the continents that have made their way into the Indian palate, served through theme-based meals.
Energize is Food & Co.'s powerhouse which specialises in meals that pack a protein punch, vitalising body, and mind alike. Energize focusses on a complete meal solution for students engaged in sports or related activity, meals are designed to fuel up the nutritional requirements that pump up mind and body.
Why has the company opted for three categories of Food & You - Home Favorites, Glocal, and Delight?
Food & You celebrates mealtime with an engaging and vibrant environment. It is specially designed for resident campuses, to give students home away from home experience. Food & You combine healthy meals with fun activities for students daily. They connect, share and socialise. There is a special focus on the wellness of the students through related programmes across the year.
Home Favorites connects authentic home-style food. Balanced meal options consisting of regional favourite breakfast, wholesome thali meals for lunch & dinner, and popular titbits for evening snacks. Traditional Indian food concept.
Glocal connects exciting multi-cuisine concepts bringing flavours of the world under one umbrella. Starting from various egg preparations for breakfast to serving Indian and International combos for lunch and dinner, Glocal connects the globe with locals.
Delight connects unique cart solutions focussing on the health and well-being of the students round the clock, starting from nutritious cold breakfast options to serving soups, DIY salads, and sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
Where are the retail kiosks positioned and how popular are these?
Today’s Gen Z is looking for much more beyond academics. Students expect education campuses to support their fast-paced lifestyle and desire facilities that keep their life stress-free. To continue bringing the global campus culture to campuses in India, Sodexo India launched first of its kind Foodiverse a curated campus food retail solution to address the needs of the experience-seeking students offering a “stress-buster” fun hangout option for students at pocket-friendly prices. A digital ordering and payment option makes ordering hassle-free too!!
All the retail kiosks are positioned within the campuses and accessible to all students and staff residing on campus. All are cash and carry models. Retail kiosks are Dakshinam, Flavours, Le Café, Hot Wok, Streat, Chai Kadak, and Grab n Go.
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