Monthly Archives: December 2009

2010 College Food Trends: Students Crave Global, National and Regional Comfort Food with a Twist

CONTACT: Monica Zimmer
301 987 4461
monica.zimmer@sodexo.com

2010 College Food Trends: Students Crave Global, National and Regional Comfort Food with a Twist

Sodexo’s College Food Trends List Reveals Locally-Grown, Everyday Favorites from Home and Abroad, and Vegetarian Fare on the Rise

GAITHERSBURG, Md., December 14, 2009 — Sodexo, leader in Quality of Life Solutions, and foodservice provider to 600 campuses in the United States, carefully monitors students’ taste buds because good food boosts a student’s college experience. This year’s college food trends list reveals students want locally-sourced food that provides comfort with a twist. Items that top the list are regional and global comfort foods.

Sodexo’s culinary team and customer insight experts released a food trends list for 2010:

College Food Trends in 2010
1.    Apricot-glazed Turkey
2.    Meatloaf with Frizzle-Fried Onions
3.    Vietnamese Pho (Rice Noodle Soup)
4.    Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
5.    Chicken Adobo (Mexican Stew with Chilies)
6.    Stuffed Pork Chops
7.    Vegetarian Jambalaya
8.    Lemon Herbed Baked Tilapia
9.    Rotisserie Chicken
10.    Home Style Pot Roast

Sodexo tracks research on the latest flavor trends, holds frequent taste-test focus groups with students, and consults with its team of topnotch chefs to develop this list.

“Comfort food is trendy for students because familiar favorites can alleviate stress linked to studying and being away from home,” said Tom Post, Sodexo president of campus services. “The biggest change we’re seeing is that students are expanding the category of feel-good foods to include comfort world cuisine, such as a Mexican stew or a Vietnamese noodle soup and they are more open to vegetarian dishes with a flair.”

Another interesting trend shows that students who attend college out of state love to explore regional fare in their new home away from home. Sodexo’s culinary team in each region identified the top favorites of college students.

“Being exposed to the cuisine of the region where you’re studying is part of the college experience for students,” said Chef Rob Morasco, senior director of offer development for Sodexo. “A student from New England who attends Tulane in New Orleans might adopt red beans and rice as comfort food, while a Southerner studying at MIT might make clam chowder a new favorite.”

College Campus Favorites by Region:

•   South Central Region: Red Beans and Rice
•    Midwest: Home Style Roast Beef
•    Northwest: Classic Carved Turkey
•    Mid Atlantic: Chicken Pot Pie
•    Northeast: New England Clam Chowder
•    Southeast: Traditional Meatloaf
•    Southwest: Fish Tacos

The 2010 College Food Trends list was developed by Sodexo’s Customer Insight team with research from Sodexo’s Student Board of Directors, student Food Choice Awards events, Nielsen’s Annual Restaurant Audit, Teenage Research Unlimited, Technomics Menu Monitor, NPD Group, Sodexo’s culinary team of chefs and vendor partners.

Sodexo, Inc.
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), a member of Sodexo Group, is a leading provider of Comprehensive Service Solutions serving more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care, retirement, schools, higher education, government and remote sites. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexo, Inc. operates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. The Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org) is an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12.7 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

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Alert: Conference Call News Briefing on Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST

Contact:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
206.709.3400
media@gatesfoundation.org

Media Advisory
December 7, 2009

Alert: Conference Call News Briefing on Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST

Only 1 in 5 Community College Students Graduate Within 3 Years
New research from Public Agenda explores why so many quit school

New York—On December 9, Public Agenda will release new national research revealing why so many young adults start college but never graduate. The report, “With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them,” is based on a national survey of young adults and reveals the top challenges they faced while in college and what they say would have helped them graduate. Nationwide, less than half of all college students graduate within six years, according to the U.S. Department of Education. At community colleges, the numbers are more stark: nearly 80 percent of students do not graduate within three years.

Last February, President Obama set a goal to again make America first in the world in the percentage of adults with a postsecondary credential, citing the goal as a necessary step in restoring the nation’s economic competitiveness. “With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them” provides insight into the lives of today’s college students, and identifies solutions that could help solve the nation’s college completion problem.

The research was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of its efforts to ensure that all young people in the United States have the opportunity to earn a degree beyond high school and compete in today’s global economy.

What:
Media briefing conference call to discuss new research on why young adults do not complete college

Who:
Jean Johnson, Executive Vice President, Public Agenda
Ian Rowe, Deputy Director, US Program, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Frankie Barria, a former student who will speak about juggling work and school

Call:
Please RSVP for this briefing – Space is limited
Dial In: 888-820-9410
** Contact Susie Rantz at 206-694-0016 or Susie.Rantz@gmmb.com to secure placement on the call**

When:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
11:00 a.m. EST (8:00 a.m. PST)

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Sodexo Launches “The Better Tomorrow Plan” for Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

CONTACT: Jaya K. Bohlmann
301 987 4550
jaya.bohlmann@sodexo.com

Sodexo Launches “The Better Tomorrow Plan” for Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

Sodexo will engage clients, suppliers and customers in North America to measure results related to environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community development

GAITHERSBURG, Md., December 3, 2009 — Sodexo, Inc., a leader in Quality of Life Solutions, announced broad and detailed commitments for sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The Better Tomorrow Plan adds a global approach to Sodexo’s continuing commitment to improving the quality of daily life for customers in three key areas of the environment, health and wellness, and community development.

At the core of The Better Tomorrow Plan are 14 commitments that will be implemented across the company with clear metrics to track the progress of Sodexo’s work to:

•    Protect and restore the environment
•    Support local community development
•    Promote health and wellness

“We believe that as one of North America’s leading companies we have a unique position to use our size and influence to help tackle some of the most important global, national and local concerns facing our planet,” said George Chavel, president and CEO, Sodexo North America. “The Better Tomorrow Plan with its 14 Commitments will make a significant impact towards helping our clients fulfill their own sustainability objectives.  Further, it will engage our customers and employees in helping to make changes that will have a positive impact on our planet for future generations.”

Noting that Sodexo impacts the lives of more than 10 million people daily in North America and a total of 50 million worldwide, Chavel added: “With this enormous reach comes a significant responsibility to ensure that our actions help improve the quality of daily life and guarantee a more sustainable future for the planet.”

Chavel noted that Sodexo’s measurement tools and practices currently under development will be a key differentiator for the company’s Better Tomorrow Plan.

To learn more about Sodexo’s The Better Tomorrow Plan and 14 Commitments on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, please visit http://www.sodexousa.com/usen/citizenship/citizenship.asp.

Sodexo, Inc.
Sodexo, Inc. is a leading on-site service solutions provider in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than 10 million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger in America.

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