Corporate Dining Services
Feed the body, feed the mind
Food served in the workplace is more than just a cafeteria with a few options. From full-service cafés featuring made-to-order ethnic dishes, coffee bars and even unattended micro-markets, to executive dining, catering and special events, CulinArt supports the Corporate Dining marketplace with customized programs designed to keep your employees productive and satisfied – not to mention healthy, given Corporate America’s recent interest in improving the healthfulness of its workforce.
CulinArt’s clientele in this segment covers a variety of industries, including technology, finance, law, energy, pharmaceuticals, retail, fashion, advertising and publishing, among others. The success of CulinArt’s adaptation of retail dining to the corporate sector matches innovative program development, cutting-edge concepts and contemporary menu design with cooperative partnership opportunities.
CulinArt maintains memberships in and supports the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management and the International Facility Management Association.
Culinary Innovations
Today’s workplace is filled with diversity – and the menu in the company café should be no different. CulinArt ensures diversity and variety in every style of service – from cafés and coffee bars to catering and special events. Our Culinary Development team ensures that CulinArt is at the forefront with regard to quick service, dining trends, innovations and breakthroughs in menu design.
The team compiles new menu ideas on a constant basis, collecting ideas and resources from magazines, dishes cooked in CulinArt cafés and at catered events, food blogs, trade publications, dining experiences in restaurants, visits to farms and markets, meetings with food product representatives, and national food and nutrition conferences. See CulinArt’s latest news and events.
Wellness Solutions
Most, if not all, of CulinArt’s corporate dining clients have moved to a more healthful menu approach. Many of our client partners are self-insured and looking at employee health with respect to downtime, sick days, etc., as well as indicators such as weight and diabetes. In such environments, healthy selections are growing by double-digits, annually.
A healthful menu that appeals to all diners – omnivores, vegans, vegetarians, those with allergies, those looking to avoid gluten – is just one of CulinArt’s wellness solutions in this segment. Other solutions include: integration with company fitness centers to provide customers with incentives to both work out and make healthful choices; farmers’ markets that bring fresh produce and other products into the workplace; and health fairs and other educational events featuring our wellness and nutrition professionals who can make a personal connection with your associate populace…and more. We are committed to accommodating all of your employees’ eating habits and creating a healthy environment for optimal productivity and consistent energy levels.
Sustainable Solutions
CulinArt has initiated a number of programs in conjunction with our corporate clients and strategic partners to promote social responsibility. With a commitment to reduce our environmental impact, we have successfully partnered with clients to realize environmental goals while increasing guest awareness. Cited below are several of our most successful sustainable solutions.
- Kitchen composting – using clearly identifiable waste containers with 100% compostable bags used for all food waste. In a facility with roughly 500 employees, this system is composting over 200 gallons of waste per week, reducing the amount of tonnage needing to be picked up for landfill each week.
- Elimination of paper invoices – for all catering and guest service functions, as well as paper copies of all financial reports. Additionally in this initiative, CulinArt has partnered with our vendors by requesting only electronic copies of daily deliveries.
- Common markets – throughout all the regions where CulinArt provides food services, local co-ops and common markets are identified for purchasing opportunities.
- On-campus gardens – that function as a source for fresh produce and herbs for use in the company kitchens.
- Farmers’ markets – that replicate thriving local farmers’ markets found across the country. These are similar to a local produce stand – complete with scales for weighing produce, and featuring a wide variety of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables as well as creamery and dairy offerings.
Marketing Solutions
C
orporate dining facilities face a lot of competition when it comes to attracting their employees’ lunch time dollars. As such, having an aggressive dining services marketing strategy is essential to building patronage. When you can keep menu monotony at bay and generate excitement about your café, your revenue potential soars and your employees enjoy healthier and more satisfying dining options.
At CulinArt, we develop concentrated marketing initiatives that are driven by the unique wants and needs of our clients. We analyze customer satisfaction and then use that data to customize our marketing strategies so we can more effectively promote our services to your employees.
Along with limited-time retail promotions spotlighting particular menu categories (e.g., chicken sandwiches, breakfast, burgers) and daily specials, our marketing and sales team also initiates themed promotional events, such as holiday, seasonal, and cultural themed events to help convert your company’s daily café experience into a more uplifting and satisfying dining experience.
Technology Solutions
CulinArt provides our corporate dining clients with cutting-edge and intuitive web-based platforms, applications, and technologies that enhance all levels of the customer experience. Our innovative solutions not only increase the speed of service, but they provide our clients with easier and more efficient ways of managing their dining programs.
Our Dining Service Technology Solutions include:
- Online Ordering – Customers can place orders via computers, tablets, or smartphones.
- Cashless Payment Systems – Diners can choose from a variety of cashless payment systems, including debit/credit cards, bank application transfer payments, and even payroll deduction, thereby maximizing your revenue potential. Click here to read a cashless payment success story.
- Digital Menu Boards – Digital menus help facilitate optimum guest engagement at any corporate dining services facility. Digital boards can display menus and daily specials (as well as other messages), and messages can be changed as needed in real-time.
- Webcams – Well-positioned webcams allow customers to make more informed decisions about when to visit the dining facility or café. They can access the video feed at any time to see when the facility is busy and when it isn’t.
- Web-Based Accounting Software – Our easy-to-use web-based accounting software program allows for unit-level financial reporting, which transfers information instantly between our dining service locations in the field and our corporate office.
The technology solutions offered by CulinArt help our corporate clients enjoy greater quality control and increased productivity as well as improved budget accountability for food costs, labor costs, inventory control, forecasting, and cash management.
Food Safety Practices
A good corporate dining program starts with providing a safe and sanitary environment for both your culinary team and your dining guests. At CulinArt, our goal is to provide your organization with a food safety program that exceeds the inspection regulations of local health departments.
Our corporate food safety practices are maintained at the absolute highest levels in the restaurant industry and include:
- Mandatory monthly Safety Training and Development Workshops
- ServSafe® certification accredited by the National Restaurant Association
- Registered ServSafe® Instructors located in all of our geographic areas
- A nationwide partnership with Shoes For Crews, a leading provider of safety footwear for the hospitality industry
- Our Director of Food Safety supervises all initiatives and programs
- Regional safety coordinators help implement and qualify all safety initiatives
- A partnership with our insurance provider for risk assessment inspections to help identify and resolve potential safety issues before they arise
- Selecting and purchasing foods only from approved and highly-qualified vendors who are regulated by federal, state, and local laws
- All food products are thoroughly inspected by our vendors before delivery, and then again by our team members before preparing and serving
- All team members, at both the management and associate levels, are trained in ServSafe®/HACCP procedures, which include proper temperature control (receiving, cooking, cooling and serving), storage, and personal hygiene
Financial Solutions
CulinArt’s corporate dining programs are customized to meet the unique culinary needs, corporate culture, and business requirements of each client. We work closely with you to develop dining programs that will not only provide your employees with the high quality food and first-class amenities they deserve, but also a cost-conservative dining solution that you can be proud of.
We provide your organization with customized financial management solutions – including stringent purchasing and accounting strategies – that greatly enhance the quality, variety, and level of food service at your dining facility. By utilizing customer-driven menus and programs, we help you achieve top-line revenues, greater participation, and lower overall costs.
Cafe Design Consultation
From concept to design to construction, CulinArt can transform your corporate café into a beneficial asset. Over the years, we have built valuable partnerships with some of the country’s leading architects, designers, and equipment retailers. It is the strength of these partnerships that allow us to fully satisfy the facility and service renovation needs of our corporate clients.
CulinArt’s resources in the short- and long-range planning of corporate dining facilities and services include:
- Schematic Design – Our designs optimize traffic flow, visual appeal, and workspace efficiency.
- Concept Development – Every project’s concept development is managed by a team of professional marketing managers, operational executives, and consultants, each of whom are experts in food industry trends and program development.
- Equipment Layout – Our well-established vendor relationships help us to equip your kitchen with top-of-the-line products at a fraction of the cost.
- Construction – We have management personnel onsite during construction.
In short, CulinArt specializes in designing and creating dining facilities and services that best suit the stylistic, operational, and cultural needs of each corporate client.
