Chartwells Universities to cater for University of Kent

Chartwells Universities has secured a catering contract with University of Kent’s Canterbury campus, starting from this June.

The partnership followed a tender process and will see the Compass-owned education caterer providing its services for staff, students and visitors.

Chartwells Universities will also support Kent’s Right to Food objectives, which were set in partnership with the Food Foundation, through the offer of healthy and affordable meals.

All current catering staff on campus will be transferred to Chartwells Universities via the TUPE process, which protects salary and working hours.

Melissa Browne, interim director of commercial services and estates, University of Kent, said: “This partnership with Chartwells Universities will help us in our commitment to providing quality, healthy and affordable food on our campus. They will bring much needed investment, which will help us to deliver a fantastic catering experience for our community.”

Rachel Carter, managing director of Chartwells Universities, added: “We are very excited about the opportunity to work collaboratively with the University of Kent to enhance the experience of students on campus. This is a symbiotic relationship, with shared values and beliefs around providing affordable, quality, nutritious food for students through the Right to Food initiative.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Chartwells Universities also provides catering services for Sussex University, Northumbria University and Swansea University.

In 2022 the Compass-owned caterer won the Foodservice Cateys’ Best Use of Technology Award.