Cardiff Metropolitan University
08/02/2017
Cardiff Metropolitan University started life on a relatively small scale 150 years ago as the capital city’s first School of Art, but it is now a thriving and cosmopolitan global community offering over 100 different courses to more than 12,000 students from 140 countries.
Located across two campuses close to the centre of Cardiff, it offers five academic schools and has a strong focus on employability, specialising in career-orientated courses that have been designed in conjunction with business and industry. True to its roots, the University still incorporates the Cardiff School of Art & Design but now also encompasses the schools of Education, Health Science, Management and Sport.
With thousands of students from many countries on site, Cardiff Met’s in-house catering operation has to stay one step ahead of food trends while delivering a wide range of healthy, nourishing and value for money meals and snacks. Catering & Hospitality Service Manager at Cardiff Met, Andrew Phelps, has recently added a selection of fresh soups from The Real Soup Company to the menus at three of the University’s five catering outlets.
“On any given day, we need to feed around 8,000 students at a variety of on-site food outlets, but servicing two campuses in different parts of the city can create its own specific challenges,” he explains. “We wanted to introduce a healthy grab & go soup option that was easy to heat and handle, but we weren’t keen on transporting hot soup across campus.
“One of the biggest advantages to us of The Real Soup Co’s soups is that they are fresh and ready to use, and can be easily heated in individual, in-situ, soup kettles. This means that the soup is always fresh, hot and easily accessible.”
A further benefit to the catering team is that the ready made soup can go on sale through the winter from as early as 9am. “If we were preparing it in-house, students would have to wait until later in the morning for their fresh soup. Being ready made, it’s immediately available and therefore helps us increase soup sales while extending the menu options for our customers,” adds Andrew.
The choice of vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options available within the overall range of soups also played a significant part in Andrew’s decision to serve The Real Soup Co’s products.
“We’re confident that the soups we serve are suitable for all types of dietary considerations as The Real Soup Co supplies detailed allergen information about each one,” adds Andrew. “Quick and convenient to heat, they enable us to serve a satisfying and healthy meal or snack at any time.”
Although The Real Soup Co’s Thai Chicken and Patatas Bravas soups are currently top of the ‘favourite flavours’ leaderboard at Cardiff Met, the company’s wide range of traditional and contemporary soups enables caterers to easily vary – and theme – their soup menus.
“The Real Soup Co’s soups are proving very popular with both staff and students,” adds Andrew, “and so they should – they’re a quality product from a good local Welsh supplier!”
“The Real Soup Co’s soups are proving very popular with both staff and students,” adds Andrew, “and so they should – they’re a quality product from a good local Welsh supplier!”
