Modern Elevated Standards of Campus F&B

Australian National University - Kambri

Australian National University - Kambri

Australian National University - Kambri

Modern Elevated Standards of Campus F&B

Enhancing the on-campus experience, with ‘High Street’ quality experiences

We all may have tried to erase the sordid memories from our consciousness of the types of food and beverage that we were exposed to during our days as University / TAFE students, but have you ever thought that perhaps our modern-day love affair with consuming all the finest things, may in fact have sprouted from these distant and not so pleasant memories. 

The staple diet of two-minute noodles, instant coffee, cheap booze and fast food is synonymous with the psyche of being a University student on a tight budget, with limited resources, time or motivation to boot.  

“Taiwanese Bubble Tea is fast replacing alcohol as the beverage of choice amongst students”

But are these stereotypes fading into oblivion, with priorities of students being reprogrammed with greater expectations relating to modern food and hospitality experiences, akin to what we are seeing more broadly across the industry?  

Taiwanese Bubble Tea is fast replacing alcohol as the beverage of choice amongst students, authentic hand-stretched noodle dishes originating from small towns in Northwest China and fresh modern Mexican inspired dishes creating authentic and healthy alternatives to mundane salads and bread-based diets. 

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As a member of the Future Food team of Consultants, my work has allowed me to relive my University days, as I have travelled around the country to analyse, assess, design and masterplan new food and hospitality precincts, future campus strategies and opportunities for Universities, with the aim of delivering ‘High Street’ food, beverage and hospitality experiences for their Students, Staff and Visitors alike. 

We take the responsibility of influencing students dining habits on campus very seriously, as shaping their behaviours beyond this, is a pipe dream. 

This article has been constructed to provide those with limited insight into the modern mechanisms of a University Campus, with a look at how things have changed, thankfully for the better. 

Allow me to preface this with the fact that not all Universities have acknowledged the importance that modern food and hospitality standards deliver to their campuses, yet from our standpoint, the benefits and outcomes are significant. 

The idea of ‘Campus Food’ would historically be labelled as insipid, unappealing and a bare-bones approach to food and hospitality, that contributes little towards enhancing the on-campus experience, let alone providing the required sustenance for young minds to flourish and thrive. 

Universities considered their basic F&B amenity to be a loss-leader - just to provide basic needs to their constituents. However, what can be seen now across the country is High Street quality Food and Beverage operations trading on-campus as successfully as they do in the leading dining precincts and food clusters around our capital cities. 

Locally roasted, single origin, quality barista coffee - In high demand - STREAT Cafe @ RMIT University

This has inspired leading F&B retail brands and concepts to strive to become part of any new ‘Campus Mix’ due to their understanding of the favourable business prospects and the daily direct access to a core and captive audience of their target demographic. 

Reputable and on-trend brands strategically placed along purchase paths around campuses, have led to an increased F&B strike rate and spend per head of both Students and Staff from early morning to mid/late evening. Providing more reason to stay and engage and less reason to leave, ensures less sales leakage to off-campus sites and maximises the benefit that modern food and beverage delivers to the campus. 

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The sight of Students and Staff lining up for their daily fix of Ethiopian single origin coffees and delicious smashed avo on toast at a St. Ali operated café or the abundance of fresh fruit and veg that lines the shelves in modern supermarkets across campuses truly depicts the shift in consumer expectations. 

Church of Secular Coffee Cafe - By St. Ali @ Monash University Clayton
(Image via JCBA)

As the ‘Foodie’ movement continues to disrupt every industry and sector, Universities have not been neglected and, as such, have been placed on notice: Adapt or be bypassed as their customers force their hand. 

Leading Universities across Australia have looked to deploy strategic improvements based upon the prerequisite to service the needs of their diverse Student and Staff demographic, who have acquired ever growing and discerning tastes.  

As habits, tastes and expectations continue to change, customers are not afraid to vote with their feet, if the standards they expect are not delivered from individual retailers and operators. 

Many elements combine to deliver current on-campus best practice including a variety of: 

• Vibrant, fresh and made to order food choices 

• Healthy, vegetarian and vegan alternatives 

• Locally grown, organic and sustainable produce  

• Ethnic and authentic cuisine options 

• Environmentally friendly strategies including waste minimisation and compostable packaging 

• Reputable and highly capable operators  

• Customer-centric and design driven precincts 

• Price points to appeal to all customers 

• Positioning standards to deliver a range of experiences 

• Seasonal and evolving menus 

• Health conscious and dietary related menus 

When successfully combined, these elements can establish an undeniable point of difference for a University, aligned to their audience and representative of modern best practice hospitality standards.  

Griffith University Student Guild Uni Bar & Link Eatery
(Image via Push Architecture)

The rise and appeal of distance and online learning has led to dwindling classroom numbers and on-campus attendance rates across the country.  In response, Universities have turned their attention to the strategic potential of food and beverage opportunities presenting a compelling reason to attend, stay and engage while offering a point of difference from their local, evolving and competitive food and beverage landscape.  

These crucial modifications have brought to life a number of significant benefits that combine to help enhance the student experience and establish a highly sought-after reputation for the University. 

Switched-on Universities are wise to the fact that food, and the culture and community they can create around it, has become a powerful recruiting tool. 

Upgrading the F&B offer to improve the campus experience offers a multi-pronged benefit to Universities: Prospective International and local students now carefully consider the quality of campus dining along with academic offering as they weigh up their preferences, a greater employment proposition for faculty and staff due to improved workplace amenities and a significant revenue stream that comes from a combination of base and often turnover rent payable to the landlord (in this case the University).  

West Green Market District - Ohio University, USA

This financial incentive to Universities has prompted significant redevelopments across centralised hubs in leading University campuses around Australia, with a focus on delivering modern food and hospitality destinations that promote dwell time, enhance socialisation and contribute towards enhancing the time spent on campus for all campus users. 

Whilst many students may only be present on campus for 38 weeks of the year, they may spend up to 9 hours per day on campus during semester, including much social/downtime. This time spent on campus often converges multiple meal times, presenting fabulous opportunity for the associated food and beverage operators to capture maximum spend across multiple day parts. 

A successfully designed and curated food and hospitality retail component within a University can generate this and contribute towards servicing all customer need states across the campus. 

As many of us enjoy the endless quality F&B options available in the CBD, suburban dining precincts and, increasingly, shopping centres on a daily basis, University campuses are finally establishing their own critical mass which have been master planned for the specific demographic and captive consumers that inhabit the campus. Franchised and independent brands, new to market concepts, authentic cuisines and industry leading operators available at your fingertips, with price points tailored for the student budget…   

Maybe it’s high time we all consider further study. 

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Cover Image: Australian National University (Image via Visit Canberra)