Josh Visnaw

Thirty people from universities around the country will be coming to the Fresh Food Company for training Dec. 2 through Dec. 5, said Patrick McCann, food service director.

“We have a strong brand standard and employee team,” he said. “Everyone who comes to CMU is impressed.”

The trainees will have classroom time and then have hands-on time to prepare meals for the students during meal times, said Nikki Smith, marketing manager for CMU’s Campus Dining.

“(The Fresh Food Company employees) have a fresh food philosophy,” McCann said.

The trainees will be taught how to interact with the students while preparing the food, and students will get to try different things. It will be fun, McCann said.

After the training, the 30 individuals will return to their universities and incorporate what they learned at CMU.

“We’re a center for excellence identified by ARAMARK,” said Brenda Marquardt, director of residential operations.

ARAMARK is the company that partners with CMU to provide all dining services on campus, Smith said.

CAMPUS DINING OFFERS LOCAL PRODUCTS

The Market, the C3 convenience store and Java City are trying to incorporate more local products this year, said Greg Hall, retail food service manager.

“It’s very important in these economic times to purchase products within the state,” he said.

Java City, as of last month, has all its pastries provided by Janie’s Cookies, located in Grand Rapids. The pastries are made with almost all Michigan products, Hall said.

C3 and the Market will now have tortilla chips and cinnamon tortilla chips from Beaverton Tavern, located in Beaverton, which is about 34 miles northeast of Mount Pleasant.

Students can sample these chips from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 at C3 and the Market, Smith said.

The milk carried in the Market and C3 has always been from Michigan, Hall said.

It’s really about making students aware of what is already offered, Marquardt said.

The stores will try to add more local products as time goes on.

“Quality and the safety of the product is number one, though,” Hall said.

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E-mail the author: Sarah Schuch