Sodexo Brings 100 Food Hive Stores to College Campuses
Food service giant Sodexo plans to open nearly 100 "Food Hive" locations on campuses nationwide by 2026. The company has already started the process, aiming to launch about 30 new college convenience stores during the current 2024-25 academic year.
Food Hive stores feature cashless payments and carry products from local partners and minority- and women-owned businesses, creating what Sodexo calls a "community-focused" shopping experience.
The expansion comes as college students increasingly seek shopping options that align with their values. According to Sodexo's internal research group, Quad Squad, Generation Z students particularly value variety (57%) and healthy options (47%) in their campus shopping experiences.
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"We know that Gen Z prefers shopping experiences that support their community while getting what they want as fast as possible with frictionless checkout," said Drew Nannis, Sodexo's campus head of marketing. "Food Hive delivers just that."
Several institutions have already embraced the Food Hive concept, including Moorehouse College, University of Illinois Chicago, and Texas Christian University. Northern Arizona University (NAU) is set to open its location in spring 2025.
Rose Wilson, Sodexo's district manager at NAU, is enthusiastic about the upcoming store: "This innovative c-store will not only provide our students with a diverse selection of hot and cold food options but also meet their personal and grocery needs. I can't wait for our students to experience this fantastic one-stop-shop addition to our campus when we open in the spring of 2025."
Sodexo is also expanding its campus dining options by teaming up with Dog Haus to bring Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos to college students.
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Sodexo currently partners with 425 institutions across the United States. As a division of the global Fortune 500 Sodexo Group, the company operates in 45 countries and provides food service and facilities management throughout North America.