Franklin College classes started on Monday, and students ate international cuisine, pizza, stromboli, calzones and hand-pressed burgers in the dining hall.
The new food options come after Franklin College switched from Sodexo, an international food services provider, to Parkhurst Dining, a Pittsburgh-area food service company that also provides services to more than 40 colleges and universities around the United States. Sodexo had provided food services to the college for the past 20 years.
The change comes because the college’s contract with Sodexo ended, and other companies could bid to provide food services to the students and employees on campus each day.
“We picked Parkhurst Dining because they were the best fit for the college," said Emily Marten, the college’s project manager and facilities office supervisor. "We felt like what they had to offer in the food would be the best fit for Franklin College.”
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One change for diners is that Parkhurst puts locally-produced food on its menus, spokesperson Trina DeMarco said.
“We make our soups and sauce from fresh stock, hand bread our fish and chicken, make pizza dough from scratch and use cage-free eggs,” DeMarco said in an email. “We strive to source 20 percent of the food for our dining operation from local sources, like farms, dairies, bakeries and small food businesses who share our passion for food. We are passionate about food and give our chefs the autonomy to create menus that meet the needs of every unique guest on campus.”
The company also donates five percent of its pre-tax profits to the communities it operates in, DeMarco said
Students will pay more for food this year, but not more than what they were going to pay with a scheduled price increase with Sodexo, Marten said.
The Johnson County Health Department flagged Sodexo for two critical health violations at Franklin College in September and one in April, each because the refrigerator holding meat and cheese was too warm. In each case, college food service employees lowered the temperature and discarded the food inside, resolving the issue, said Bob Smith, Johnson County Health Department environmental health specialist.
The department inspected Parkhurst in July, but found no critical violations, he said.
The violations were not the reason Franklin College decided to switch food providers, Marten said.
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Parkhurst Dining will offer Franklin College students
- Allergen-free options
- Pizza, stromboli and calzones made from freshly-made dough
- Vegan and vegetarian entrees
- Homestyle dishes and international cuisine
- Hand-pressed burgers
- Chicken and fish tenders and sandwiches
- Deli-style sandwiches
- Salad bar
- Soups
Source: Parkhurst Dining spokesperson Trina DeMarco
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