University catering - How digitalization is taking hold in Potsdam and Frankfurt (Oder)

In Germany, the Studentenwerke are responsible for the interests of students. In addition to managing halls of residence, student finance and advisory services, they are also responsible for local canteens and cafeterias.

Digital strategies of the Studentenwerke Potsdam and Frankfurt (Oder)

Year:

2022

Product:

Lunch app with order
Food vending machines
Digital signage

Customer:

Student Union Potsdam
Student Union Frankfurt (Oder)

Service:

Project management
Branding
Commissioning

Catering for students and the operation of canteens, cafeterias etc. are among the main tasks of the Studierendenwerke. University catering has set itself a major goal: to offer high-quality, ecologically sound food at affordable prices. In order to pool resources and reduce costs, the 57 independent Studierendenwerke have established their own brands. However, there is still some catching up to do when it comes to digitalization. Using the example of the Studierendenwerke Potsdam and Frankfurt (Oder), we show how university catering is equipping itself for the future with digital solutions.

Studentenwerk Potsdam - the start of a long-standing partnership

Since 1991, the Studentenwerk Potsdam has been responsible for the needs of over 33,000 students in Potsdam, Brandenburg an der Havel and Wildau. In addition to providing affordable housing, counseling services and job placement, the Studentenwerk is also responsible for running seven canteens, two coffee bars and a cafeteria. In total, over 1 million meals were served in the canteens in 2022 - 70% of guests are students.

Staff shortages as well as food and energy costs are currently among the biggest challenges for communal catering. The Studentenwerk was looking for solutions to tackle these issues: Food vending machines including a bilingual app for ordering were to be the first step towards creating added value for guests.

How something good came out of a crisis

"When the idea of developing a delivery system for the student residences came up during the pandemic, we looked around for a solution," recalls Michéle Paschke, Head of the Dining Halls and Cafeterias Department, at the start of the reorganization. It was important to find a partner who could meet all the requirements. These included pre-ordering and payment via app, the integration of Relevo's existing reusable system, the integration of a reverse vending machine for the reusable system and experience with a vending machine manufacturer.

"In the overall project, kamasys convinced us with a holistic solution. The changeover to a new merchandise management system and thus also the necessary conversion of the web menu plan and, above all, the food guidance system was also considered at that time"

- Michéle Paschke

The expectations in Potsdam were high: the aim was to launch a functioning and well-running delivery system for students in the halls of residence. This was implemented using the lunch app from kamasys: students can use the "Mensa +" app to pre-order and pay for meals, among other things. The orders are delivered in Relevo's reusable crockery to the Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße and Stahnsdorfer Straße student residences in Potsdam - a push notification informs them as soon as the food is ready for collection. However, a few hurdles had to be overcome before the system was ready for use: "Our menu planning had to be integrated, and we learned that we needed extra menus for the vending machine. Relevo had to be connected; one-way was out of the question for us. How does the data arrive where and can it then be evaluated? Labels have to be stuck on, the whole thing needs an expiry date and the app needs a maximum quantity that can be ordered. What are the delivery routes? How can we read out the temperature data from the vending machines remotely and, and, and," says Michéle Paschke, summarizing the start of the project. Despite the challenges that arose in between, the first phase of the project was successfully completed and the canteen delivery service to the halls of residence enabled students to eat outside of opening hours - in the evenings or at weekends.

Exterior photo of a canteen of the Studentenwerke Potsdam

What the future will look like in Potsdam

The second project phase has been running since April. Firstly, all canteens are being integrated into the "Mensa +" app: Users can view the menus of all canteens, including prices, additives, allergens and nutritional values, provide feedback and be informed about news. The menu is also integrated into the Student Union website via the kamasys web client.
The second phase of the project involves the introduction of digital signage systems in all canteens. "Thanks to our experience with each other and each other and the preparatory work for the vending machine concept, things are now running much more smoothly," says Paschke.

"Despite the introduction and connection to a new merchandise management system, we are making progress on schedule. We are very pleased with the new and modern look and the new features that our guests can now use."

- Michéle Paschke

A look at the project planning shows that the Studentenwerk Potsdam is aiming for a long-term partnership: a CO2 footprint, Fotoboxx to display the food on the monitors, in the web menu and in the app as well as self-checkout tills are planned for the future.
"Both parties can only be successful if there is honest cooperation on an equal footing. We succeeded in doing this together and our employees and guests benefit from it," says Michéle Paschke, summarizing the two-year collaboration with kamasys.

Potsdam Student Union

Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder) - Digital strategy for 14,000 students

The Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder) is the point of contact for around 14,000 students at the university locations of Eberswalde, Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus and Senftenberg. In addition to social services such as educational support, running a daycare center and student housing, its responsibilities include catering in six canteens.
Due to the pandemic, the attendance culture at universities has changed, portion numbers are no longer reaching pre-corona levels and it is becoming increasingly challenging to remain an attractive place for students to go. Sören Hilschenz - responsible for the catering operations - is aware of this:

"Digitalization must be tangible. People want information to be as uncomplicated and appealing as possible."

- Sören Hilschenz

The task: nowadays, canteens have to offer more in terms of quality, sustainability, social compatibility and a feel-good atmosphere. On the other hand, some of the requirements are contradictory. For example, cheap food vs. a high proportion of organic food or modern dishes vs. canteen classics.

Customer loyalty as the key to success

In order to meet the challenges and fulfill the increased expectations, the student union is now relying on digital solutions from kamasys: displays and monitors for the food labelling were already available in the canteens, but the content was maintained manually every day and compiled from various data sources. A digital system is now being used to save time and costs while minimizing the frequency of errors. This presents all content in a uniform design and also takes over the menus from the merchandise management system.

The centerpiece of the collaboration between the Studentenwerk and kamasys is the lunch app: Under the name "mensaTime", students have a bilingual tool at their disposal that can be used to call up the current meal plan regardless of time and place. Another important element is the feedback module. Users can use it to rate meals and rooms and thus actively contribute to quality assurance and improvement. The third pillar for more intensive loyalty is the news module. This enables effective and fast communication on current topics and campaigns. The implementation of the project ran smoothly. Thanks to regular coordination, everyone involved was up to date and minor adjustments could be made promptly. This meant that the set schedule could be implemented effortlessly.

With the new digital strategy, the Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder) can meet the increased demands of guests and present itself in a more modern way. According to Sören Hilschenz, the direction for the future is clear:

"The canteen is no longer just a place where food is served and eaten. We see ourselves as pioneers in communal catering and want to offer an essential and attractive meeting place on every campus."