TRU Food Services

TRU’s relationship with Aramark has generated the following benefits for TRU and TRU’s students:

• In the last three years, 70 percent of Aramark’s employees on the TRU campus have been students. Aramark offers flexible scheduling options that make it convenient for student employment.
• In the last three years, $2 million has been paid in student wages.
• There is a paid marketing internship position awarded to a TRU student annually. This internship has led to full-time employment after graduation.
• 11 TRU alumni work full-time at TRU Food Services at either a supervisory or managerial level.
• TRU Culinary Arts saves thousands of dollars annually in food costs through Aramark’s procurement channels.
• Aramark continues to support the Education and Skills Training Program (ESTR), providing an on-campus training lab for their students.
• TRU has received more than one million dollars over the last three years from commissions resulting from overall food sales. This money is used to offset the university’s operating costs.
• Aramark has invested more than $850,000 in infrastructure improvements to the university.
• Aramark has donated more than $100,000 to student scholarships and has been included in the President’s Circle.

Evolution

The food industry is always changing and we are changing as well. Check out some of the changes and improvements that we have made over the last couple of years.

2013

Addition of a full service Starbucks in Old Main

• Replaced the limited menu Tim Hortons
• Increased the variety of beverage and food selection on campus
• Included renovations of BMO Student Street; improving the space with new seating and additional tables

2014

The U&M Deli added in Old Main

• Developed due to changing demands for food on campus
• Goal to provide various different dietary options; gluten free, vegetarian, vegan and halal

The Urban Market added in the Campus Activity Centre

• Features an Urban Cultivator which grows fresh microgreens and herbs
• Fresh pizza and calzones made daily in an open-flame stone oven
• Affordable daily rotating hot entrée specials

Updates made to the Upper Level Café in Old Main

• Bento Sushi’s main location which features hand-crafted sushi made daily
• Wide variety of fresh grab-and-go items

Heroes Pub changed to The Den

• Changed to an all ages restaurant, opening the doors to all members of the campus community
• Extended hours, revised menu, local offerings and daily food specials
• Updates to interior to improve ambiance

2017

Introduced Bento hot entrée menu

• Extended Bento menu added to offer rice and noodle bowls

Launched new Food for U website

• Information regarding daily specials, menus and dietary options
• News nibbles for all features and changes regarding food on campus

Eats Amore & the Happy Camper food trucks arrives on campus

• Marks the start of great partnerships between TRU Food Services and local Kamloops food truck operators
• Brings unique food offerings to the campus community

Chop N Top added to the Urban Market

• Features artisan style salads or you can customize your own salad or wrap

The Den goes strawless

• One of the first restaurants in Kamloops to remove the use of plastic straws

2018

Fill It Forward

• TRU Food Services has teamed up with the Sustainability Office to support the TRU Fill it Forward Program. Every coffee you purchase, you will be rewarded with points on the app when you use your re-usable mug. Use the Fill it Forward app to scan the locations unique barcode at any of these locations (Trades Café, International Café, Upper Level Café, and Urban Market), after 10 coffee purchases you will get a free coffee!

HOWL Coffee

• TRU’s very own custom coffee. Brewing only 100% fair trade organic certified coffee, sourced ethically in partnership with Fair Trade Canada. HOWL Coffee creates a unique brand on campus, especially for the socially conscious student. Served at all TRU Food Services locations except for Starbucks, Tim Hortons and the International Café.

Twisted Goat – International Cafe

• Committed to supporting the farmers who worked hard to grow and harvest the green bean we source for Twisted Goat. All our coffee is 100% Organic and Fair Trade and roasted in small batches by hand in the Rocky Mountain valley.

Starbucks Updated Seating Package

• Transforming the ambience of BMO Student Street by adding new seating and tables making for a better place for students to gather and study.

Working to being a strawless campus

• Plastics straws are being removed at all food services locations. We request that everyone go without using a straw, but paper straws will be available.

2019

Trades Cafe Renovation

• The Trades Cafe underwent renovations and the newly re-imagined space is now called The Workbench and features a build your own salad, wrap, panni and 7" personal pizza station.

More Food Trucks

• The Hot Mess and Mr. & Mrs. Hotdog joined Eats Amore on campus this year serving up delicious eats this summer and fall.

Upper Level Cafe becomes a full Bento Sushi

• Bento Sushi has expanded to provide a greater variety of made to order selections. Customers can now watch the sushi being made fresh daily.

Eco Container Program

• This program is in partnership with the TRU Sustainability Office with the goal to cut down on waste by reducing the amount of compostable takeout containers. Available at the Urban Market, The U&M Deli, The Workbench and International Café. Ask for your meal in a reusable eco-container, get a stamp card, return your used container at any participating location and get your card stamped, collect 10 stamps and get a free meal ($10 value before tax).

Dining Card Exclusives Launched

• Dining cards provide a simple, convenient way to eat on campus. New this year are monthly deals exclusive to dining cardholders. Check out the deals and all our dining card information on our main dining card page.

The Den Renovation

• The Den closed in April for a complete overhaul. The updated space will feature new menu items along with the campus favourties, including breakfast being served Monday to Friday starting at 9am. The Den is expected to open in the early fall of 2019.

Bean Me Up Closure

• Bean Me Up, the Ken Lepin Building location also known as The Pod, will not be re-opening this year. A new food services outlet is under development in the Nursing and Population Health (NPH) building, opening in 2020.

2021

Hey Chef

• Launched Hey Chef mobile ordering app.

2022

Subway

• Subway location, located on the first floor of the International Building, opened.

Pizza Forno

• Launched the Pizza Forno machine on BMO Student Street, first floor of Old Main.

Third Party Vendors

• Welcomed third party vendors to campus.