FoodService Director has released the results of The Big Picture, which we believe is the most comprehensive non-commercial research project ever conducted. As the name suggests, our goal is to give readers a thorough look into the non-commercial industry—not only at where the industry is currently, but, more important, a peek at where the non-commercial markets are heading. In the following slideshow you’ll find a wealth of knowledge from the Operations category.
Click here to read more about The Big Picture project
Universities Glom Onto Food Trucks
Call them what you will: mobile canteens, lunch wagons, catering vans or even the pejorative “roach coaches.” Food trucks, once the “restaurant” of choice for employees outside of manufacturing plants, steel mills, military bases and more, are back. And they have found safe haven in some non-commercial operations, most notably on college campuses. Fourteen percent of respondents to The Big Picture say they employ food trucks.
Money Matters in Renovations, New Buildings
Renovations and new construction are two of the surest ways to create buzz around an operation’s foodservice. According to The Big Picture data, C&U operators are planning more renovations and new locations than any other segment. They’ve also completed more renovations than other segments in the past two years. And this market isn’t showing signs of letting up. Seventy-three percent of C&U operators are planning a renovation in the next two years.
Few Non-Commercial Operations Grow Produce on Site
Only 5% of operators have an on-site garden or farm for which the foodservice team is responsible. Most operators say they don’t have an on-site garden/farm and have no plans to start one.