Chartwells Releases Innovative Plan for the Future of Campus Dining
“Path Forward” by Chartwells Higher Education uses industry survey data to help campuses improve the student experience, accelerate innovation and solve urgent challenges.
read moreChartwells Higher Education Launches “Crafted by Chartwells” to Power the Next Generation of Campus Dining Retail
With more than 30 in-house brands and counting, Crafted by Chartwells turns student voices into student choices nationwide
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 13, 2025 — Chartwells Higher Education, a recognized leader in contract food service management, today announced the launch of its innovative retail dining portfolio, Crafted by Chartwells. As a uniquely student-driven and collaborative development pipeline, Crafted by Chartwells transforms student feedback into scalable, authentic, and customizable dining experiences nationwide for college and university partners.
Crafted by Chartwells serves as a hub where culinary teams, marketers, operators, and students co-create the future of higher education dining. By tapping into the voices of over 100,000 students nationwide through inputs in Chartwells’ Campus Dining Index, Crafted by Chartwells ensures new concepts reflect student preferences for exciting cuisines and preferred service styles paired with rich flavors and high-quality, fresh ingredients. Chartwells is committed to establishing a strong foundation to cater to Gen Z’s diverse preferences, including their love for authentic global flavors, nutritious functional foods, inclusive menus, and innovative dining spaces.
“Campus dining should be the most exciting place to eat, connect, and explore new flavors,” said Joe Labombarda, SVP of Culinary, Chartwells Higher Education. “We know that student preferences can change quickly, which pushes us to be as creative and collaborative as possible. Crafted by Chartwells helps us capture and elevate the newest culinary trends as they happen.”
Crafted by Chartwells includes a portfolio of more than 30 successful and innovative concepts that reflect students’ preferences, such as:
- Chaat House: Inspired by the regional flavors of India, Chaat House offers customizable grain bowls, wraps, and classic street snacks, such as Samosa Chaat. It is designed to bring intensely flavored cuisine to the grab-and-go retail space, addressing the high student demand for global authenticity.
- Houston Street Subs: A fully customizable concept built to reflect each campus’ unique identity. While originally launching at Texas A&M in 2013 as “Houston Street Subs”, campuses can localize the name to their community. The concept emphasizes freshness with healthy, flexible lunch options, like sub sandwiches made with bread baked daily and vegetables sliced fresh each morning.
- Vedge Craft: A vegetarian eatery offering breakfast and lunch inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. Popular choices among students include handcrafted bowls and wraps.
- Yum Bun & PhoU: These concepts specialize in popular Pan-Asian dishes, offering everything from authentic Dim Sum at Yum Bun to made-to-order noodles, pho, and ramen at PhoU. This variety reflects one of the most requested food categories in the 2025 Campus Dining Index.
These concepts are ever-evolving, with many successful brands first emerging as local ideas on individual campuses, proving their popularity before scaling up into something larger. The brands are designed for complete customization, allowing campus partners to select, localize, and adapt the brands to fit their unique communities. This ensures local favorites and regional sourcing can be easily integrated.
