The goals of every school foodservice professional are centered around efficiency, accessibility and nutritional quality. Vickie Speltz, foodservice director at Cotter Schools in Winona, Minn., wanted to streamline operations and increase participation while satisfying students. We spoke to Speltz about how her forward-thinking led her to embrace the Cambro Vending Cart as a pivotal tool in achieving her foodservice goals.
1. Reduce Pressure on Serving Line
Last year, LASD introduced a la carte items to students in grades 7 through 12, but quickly noticed it was causing a lot of backup in the traditional lunch line. Speltz wanted to find a way to create an a la carte station that would take some pressure off the main food line to allow students to get what they wanted to purchase faster.
“I went to a really good rep, his name is Lawrence Anderson, and I asked him, ‘What kind of ideas do you have?’ He gave me all these ideas and then he said, ‘We’ve got this really good cart. I bet you [the Cambro Vending Cart] would really help you out.”
Speltz took her rep’s advice and ordered a Cambro Vending Cart with their striking Cotter logo personalized on the front. Now, the cart is set up in a corner of the cafeteria, effectively separating students waiting in the lunch line from those who are buying a la carte items.
2. Increase Profits
Offering a la carte items is a great way to increase profits. Speltz wanted a piece of equipment that would draw the students in without being too expensive to keep them out of the black.
“[The Cambro Vending Cart] has already turned around and paid for itself in four months,” said Speltz. “[The students] tend to gravitate there and purchase stuff and that’s what’s good for us. We are showing a profit in that area and that’s what we wanted to do to be able to pay all that back and incorporate that into the program.”
Students are able to choose from food and beverages that are smart snack approved through Minnesota Department of Education. Flavored water, sports drinks, baked chips, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, granola bars and even MDE-approved ice cream are available for the students to purchase.
To keep drinks cold in the cart, they utilize a Cambro GoBox® in one of the Cambro Vending Cart’s specifically designed storage spaces.
3. Promote Foodservice Program
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and Cotter Schools designed their cart to turn heads.
“[The Cambro Vending Cart] is beautiful,” said Speltz. “It looks really nice and all colors are matching.”
The cart made a lasting impact on the principal, who commented on how good the cart looks with the Cotter Schools logo front and center. In addition to the personalized wrap, an employee has taken a special interest in the cart.
“We have one particular employee that she pretty much has taken that on and loves it, does a great job at it and was excited to even start that whole new area. It’s worked out really well,” said Speltz.
The Cambro Vending Cart is equipped with heavy duty casters for easy maneuvering back into the kitchen when lunch is over.
Click here to see your school’s logo on the Cambro Vending Cart!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
