Bengal Dining Operations Update

Dear Campus Community,

The past few weeks have been encouraging as we have seen the campus population grow and our dining locations once again filled with new and returning students. At the same time, our team has been closely following the effects the pandemic has had on the supply chain and the labor market, as well as the resulting country-wide supply chain and labor shortages. 

To assist in these anticipated labor shortages and to minimize potential vacancies, we proactively created a hiring strategy in early spring that introduced new sign-on bonuses, a same day pay option, additional perks, and targeted advertising. While we feel these efforts have been successful in attracting new talent, the demand for workers continues to outpace supply. 

While this is disappointing, we remain committed to creating an engaging dining experience this fall and are doing everything we can to encourage applicants. There may be some situations for which we will have to temporarily adjust our service to better serve our guests, but we will be as transparent as possible about those changes, and we thank you in advance for your understanding. 

As the foodservice industry rebounds, the increased demand has also put significant strain on the global supply chain. Bengal Dining is not immune to these challenges; however, we are more prepared than ever to help mitigate these industry-wide shortages and continue to provide the best service and care to our campus community, students, and guests. Some of the steps we have taken in order to be preemptive include

• Pre-ordering a large volume of product to reduce delivery delays and secure stock; 
• Preparing a variety of creative, alternate menu substitutions for items potentially in short supply; 
• Increasing inventory of shelf-stable product to create back-up supply in case of delays; 
• and working closely with Foodbuy and their newly formed Supply Chain Risk Task Force to receive alerts and updates on shortages as they happen. 

We are fortunate to have Foodbuy, the largest purchasing organization in North America, as our partner, working on our behalf to minimize service disruptions. Despite these efforts, however, Bengal Dining is likely to experience product or delivery shortages, and you may see menu modifications or product substitutions. We remain confident that, with these action plans in place, we are in the best position to support our campus this upcoming academic year. 

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we navigate these global supply chain and labor challenges.

Lowell Richards, AVP for Student Affairs