Chartwells University Dining Is a Center of Excellence

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Chartwells dining services at the University of Arkansas has been recognized by its parent company, Compass Group, as a national Center of Excellence, known as the Core 4. Compass Group is one of the world’s leading food service companies and includes operations such as Wolfgang Puck Catering, Canteen Vending Services and Bon Apetit Management Company.

“We could not be more pleased that our campus foodservice operation has been recognized as a nationwide center of excellence,” said Danny Pugh, vice provost for student affairs and dean of students. “We have a wonderful partnership with Chartwells that provides our campus community with local and national brands, and food prepared by some of the best chefs in Northwest Arkansas.”

Some Chartwells initiatives, including tray-less dining and composting food waste are part of the sustainability efforts on campus. All fry oil used in Chartwells’ operations on campus is converted to biodiesel and used on the university farms. Chartwells also provides services to the Washington County Headstart program; each holiday season dining services associates raise funds through recycling efforts to support the Northwest Arkansas Children’s House; and team members provide on-going support to the Full Circle Food Pantry on campus, helping students, faculty and staff in need. These factors all contributed to the recognition, as did the groups’ ability to carry on training for employees across Chartwells nationwide.

According to a Compass Group spokesperson, the Chartwells team excels at implementing Compass brand programs and adapting them to the university marketplace. The Chartwells team is in the process of developing an innovation center in partnership with the university and the Compass Business Excellence team to test in-house brands in a real-world setting on the University of Arkansas campus.

Chartwells has been on the University of Arkansas campus since January of 1998. During this time the campus has grown from 14,000 to more than 23,000 students. Chartwells’ dining options for the campus community include national, Compass, local and in-house brands. Services are also provided to Intercollegiate Athletics, Washington County Headstart and the annual Walmart Shareholders meeting.

Compass Group operates in more than 50 countries and employs more than 428,000 people worldwide.