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MC Welcomes New Food Service Provider


Changes are brewing this summer for food service customers at Mississippi College.

A new food service provider is now on board at MC, and coffee lovers will soon enjoy Starbucks products at two convenient locations on the Clinton campus.

On August 2, Birmingham-based Campus Dining, Inc. replaced Sodexo as MC’s food service provider.

The 200-employee company in Alabama works with other clients in the region including Samford University in Birmingham, the Marion Military Institute, the Mountain Brook Sports Complex, Camp Winnataska, the Lakeshore Foundation, and the Indian Springs School. The company’s new contract with Mississippi College will extend for five years, Campus Dining officials say. The company has handled food service operations at 4,500-student Samford since August 2003.

“A great deal of work has gone into making sure that the transition from Sodexo to Campus Dining seems virtually seamless to our campus community,” says Steve Stanford, MC vice president for administration and government relations. “This smooth transition will be enhanced due to the fact that the majority of Sodexo employees will become part of the MC Campus Dining team.”

At Campus Dining headquarters, “we’re certainly excited about it – we look forward to a long-term relationship with Mississippi College,” said Ken Daniel, the company’s chief financial officer. “We believe if we take care of our employees, they will take care of our customers.”

On its website, Campus Dining says they purchase paper products from the second greenest company in North America, use zero trans fat cooking oil, invest in their communities and the future of their food supply by using local vendors. The company also donates excess food inventory to churches and missions at the end of each semester and at the close of campus food services.

“We are committed to excellence in the delivery of our product, service and relationships,” the company states. “We bake a wide variety of breads, muffins, and desserts on premises fresh every day.” And the company uses fresh vegetables in season, not frozen, when available.

Faculty and staff will get the chance to sample the new company’s food in late August. After the August 20 convocation in Swor Auditorium, lunch will be provided in Anderson Hall compliments of Campus Dining.

With Sodexo‘s departure, the name of the popular MC coffee shop – Jazzman’s – is gone, too. Starbucks products will be coming to the café in the B.C. Rogers Student Center and to the smaller branch at the Leland Speed Library. Starbucks coffee is also available at the MC School of Law in downtown Jackson.

“I’m excited that Starbucks will be back on campus,” says Gena McBrain, an MC payroll clerk. “I usually get the skinny vanilla latte.”

As of late December 2009, Starbucks listed 16,706 stores, and operates in more than 50 countries, whether it is Argentina, Greece, China, Poland, France, or the United States. Mississippi College will sell Starbucks coffee and items like muffins, but really doesn’t qualify it as an official company store.