Sodexo will be offering its Fill My Fridge program for the second consecutive year at more than half of the 650 college campuses where it operates. Fill My Fridge offers parents on college move-in days the opportunity to purchase items like snacks and beverages without leaving campus. The events will also include music and information kiosks.
"Move-in day can be chaotic and filled with mixed emotions," says Tom Post, president of Sodexo's Education-Campus unit. "Sodexo is offering Fill My Fridge events for the second consecutive year because it creates the kind of exceptional experience that makes move-in day a lot easier for parents and students alike." Post came up with the idea after experiencing a frustrating move-in day with his son, followed by an hour's drive to a box store to get dorm-fridge supplies.
Here's how it works: on resident hall move-in day, Sodexo sets up an area where parents can purchase goods to stock their students' refrigerators with dry and refrigerated goods and beverages. They can also pre-order items and Sodexo will have those items packaged and ready for pick up when they arrive on campus. The items will also be on sale throughout the academic year through the www.fillupmyfridge.com website.
Sodexo researched what resident-hall foods are popular with 18-to 24-year-old students and worked to get them with suppliers, which included local farmers and produce companies for local fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and bread. Fill My Fridge vendors PepsiCo and Coca-Cola will both offer contests for campuses that host a Fill My Fridge event, including a grand prize of $4,000 in the Fix Up My Room contest from Coca-Cola and a Text to Win contest from PepsiCo.