Five-year café deal signed with University of Suffolk

Submitted by Amelia O'Hanlon | 11/10/2016

The Vertas Group has successfully secured a five-year contract worth over £1m with University of Suffolk (UOS) to regenerate and operate the onsite café.

Vertas’ catering and graphic design experts presented to a panel of six at UOS to demonstrate the many reasons why the University should choose Vertas as its catering and hospitality provider for the café; currently named Theta.

The presenting team included Danny Barnes, Graphic Designer for Vertas and postgraduate UOS student. Danny was able use his University insight and design creativity to develop a new name, logo, brand and theme which would appeal to the University audience whilst also drawing in waterfront visitors of all ages.

The new name for the café due to open on the 1 August when the university will launch as the University of Suffolk, is ‘Cargo Coffee House’. There will be developments to the look and feel of the café happening throughout August.

Students and teaching staff at UOS alongside visitors to the waterfront will be able to look forward to the following:

  • A refreshed café, with new name, brand and theme which ties in a contemporary feel; whilst keeping in line with the waterfront surroundings
  • New furniture and interior design to create a warm and inviting setting
  • New food and drink choices; based on market research of students and waterfront visitors
  • Extended opening times to include weekend opening

Jo Lardent, Group Commercial Director for Vertas Group Limited, said:

“Winning the contract for an establishment as reputable as UOS is massively important for the Vertas Group; especially at a time where the University is going through so many exciting changes.

“We are delighted that after a competitive tender process we were able to stand apart from other providers. By involving UOS graduates turned Vertas employees we were able to really understand what it is that the students and teaching staff care most about.

“Since the win, our dedicated colleagues have been busy developing innovative concepts for the café facility to ensure a completely refreshed look and feel, taking into account exactly what the students, teachers and visitors to the waterfront love – excellent food and great coffee.

“We have wanted to partner with the University for some time and this presents the perfect opportunity for closer working in order to deliver benefit to all of our future customers.”

Sara Corcoran, Director of Human Resources at University of Suffolk, said:

“Our café at UOS has a prime location on the waterfront so we are excited by what Vertas will be able to offer to students, staff and the general public.

“Vertas stood out for us in the tender process as they have an excellent track record of offering quality and value to their customers; we were very impressed by what they can provide.

“The new café will be open from 1 August tying in with our launch as the University of Suffolk.”

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