Expanded menu options coming to TRU’s campus after signing of new five-year, $8.3 million contract with provider More food options at TRU Thompson Rivers University has inked a new $8.3 million agreement with its food services provider that will expand menu options and add a dedicated campus food truck. Aramark has been TRU’s food services provider for the past decade and, after a Request for Proposal process got underway in 2024, TRU’s board of governors agreed to renew its contract for another five years during
a meeting earlier this month. A report to the board stated the new contract includes expanded menu options and enhanced services, as well as a dedicated food truck for retail services and campus events during the academic year, and catering during the summer. Other changes include a stronger commitment to sustainability, a greater emphasis on buying BC-grown ingredients and prioritizing local suppliers, programs to support food insecurity initiatives on campus, and specialized catering services. The new five-year contract is valued at $8.34 million and takes
effect July 1. Financial contributions expected over the five years include $4.27 million in commission for catering and in retail projections, a capital grant of $1.5 million, $2 million in capital investments and $480,000 for value-added pricing and support. Matt Milovick, TRU’s vice-president of finance and administration, told the board Aramark’s pricing is in-line with off campus locations. Asked about the breadth of dining options, Milovick said TRU’s campus is a limited size. He said the university’s residences don’t have dining halls because “we want
to make sure that our residence experience is cost effective.” “When you add a dining program, you get more diversity and variety, but it also costs students a lot more money to come to school here, all of our residences have cooking facilities and that’s the preferred direction that we’ve taken,” he said. “It’s a smaller community and there’s plenty of options for food within walking distance of campus.” Aramark was the only company to put in a bid during the RFP, which Milovick attributed
to food service providers struggling to return to universities after the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think there’s still some hesitancy for a new operator to take a risk to come into an institution that they don’t know, make those commitments and investments and then have to deliver on them,” Milovick said. “Aramark knew us, and the thing about this bid, while they were the only proponent, they didn’t know they were the only proponent, so they put their best foot forward and this contract is better
than the last one.”
TRU, Thompson Rivers University, Aramark, food services, contract renewal, $8.34 million, food truck, sustainability, BC-grown, local suppliers, food insecurity initiatives, board of governors, July 1
So they’re bringing a food truck… that fixes everything right?
Am I reading that right, $8.3 million just for food? Like the tuition already hurts, now it’s gonna be more menus too.
Wait, Aramark is the one that’s been there for a decade and they “renew” it, but they also say only one company bid. So was it basically already decided lol? Also a food truck in July sounds like a summer thing, so what about the students actually during school?
Local suppliers and BC-grown is nice I guess, but I don’t trust “pricing is in-line with off campus.” Off campus is usually more expensive because everything is far and you have to Uber anyway. And they say residences don’t have dining halls because it’s cost effective?? That sounds backwards to me, like cooking facilities is gonna be a lot cheaper… until everyone orders takeout. Food insecurity initiatives also feel like a PR line if they’re still charging crazy for lunch.