The report provides a deep dive into what students want from on-campus food, where they buy it and what they look for in a retailer.
Researchers asked 500 16 to 24-year-old students who eat at on-campus outlets what is most important to them when buying food. The top factors were taste (34%), value (23%), convenience (16%) and quality (13%).
Stéphanie Brillouet, Délifrance marketing director, said: "Students also insist on quality. Operators can meet demand for tasty products by offering baked goods that are fresh, hot and consistent.”
Convenience also matters to busy students, who say the most important factors are: quick to purchase (52%), quick to eat (47%), will fill me up (42%) and easy to eat on the go (41%).
Education catering expert and former chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance Mathew White MBE, who worked with Délifrance on the report, added: "Once they have formed their purchasing habits, students mostly stick to them for their entire academic career.”
With more than 550 colleges and universities across the country, higher and further education is a ‘huge opportunity’ for café operators, restaurants and catering businesses. Amanda Pettingill, chair of TUCO, will be a guest speaker on the next episode of Délifrance’s Bitesize Bakery Podcast.