Foodservice directors need brands to understand how they’re not like restaurants.
When it comes to non-comm environments like colleges & universities and K-12 school districts, there are unique functional considerations that impact the way purchasers need to make menu decisions. Here’s a primer.
Know that C&U is ahead of the curve.
C&U is often at the forefront of consumer trends. Students are most likely to force change faster than other diners, feeding off of cultural, social, and global awareness and influences. They often seek new and exciting food options. Additionally, given a range in dining needs – from large-scale meal plans to on-the-go snacks and contactless vending – menu-building and product sourcing requires a multi-layered matrix of variables.
Keep an eye on emerging trends in the larger US markets so you can do some intel on behalf of your more mainstream operators, culling insight periodically with an understanding that trends take around 12-18 months to surface as big enough to force menu consideration. Align this with selling opportunities well in advance of the start of the school year (think 6 months) and your presence at key trade shows like the NACUFS regional and national shows.
Beyond trendsetting ideas, the C&U operator needs versatility, flexibility, and cross-menu utilization – not to mention easy-to-store solutions and low-labor options that assist student workers.
Follow the K-12 bidding cycle.
Understanding the needs of a K-12 director means understanding the bidding process.
- All school districts that are part of the federal child nutrition programs and receive federal funds have to bid all purchases over $150,000, with many states demanding even more stringent requirements. You should be up on the specific requirements of each state to which you intend to market.
- Food can bid in categories, as single items, or as a combination – the latter of which is often a school district’s preference.
- Most districts put out solicitations for bids to suppliers and/or their distributors that last one year, and generally run from July 1 to June 31 – although there are some districts that work on a calendar year.
- Bids for the next school year (which starts July 1) get underway in January through March. Fall is a great time to build top-of-mind awareness for operators planning for the following school year. Some larger districts and buying groups may start even earlier.
3 steps to constructing a super simple plan:
- Research
New trends emerge in larger markets; keep up by reviewing social media channels, perusing industry publications, and conducting your own on-the-ground research if you can. Then package up your findings in a digestible format. (This could be as simple as a presentation deck or a landing page on your website.) - Communicate well in advance.
Most long-term trends (those lasting 5-10 years) will make their way to mainstream approximately 12-18 months after they emerge. Make non-comm operators your first stop with trend insights so you can get ahead of C&U student expectations and the K-12 bid process. You need to communicate a full year in advance of K-12 menu changes in order to get in front of the bid processes. - Build out & share.
From there, layer in daypart outlook, menu versatility, cross-utilization, LTO, and other marketing ideas – and compile a quarterly or semi-annual guide for your sales force to use as on-the-ground support for customers. Roll it out at least six months prior to a seasonal opportunity. Cross-utilize these insights for your content and in-bound marketing strategies.
Opportunity is ripe in C&U and K-12 for brands that plan ahead.
