4 CLACKAMAS PRINT • JÜNE 3.2015
New Cougar cafeteria being
dished out
by Cassidy Scott
Coming this fall, the Clackamas Community College
Cougar Café Is expected to look a lot d ifferent With
the recent hiring of Trio Hospitality, a food services
company from Oregon City, the college Islooking to
make some changes.
The company th a t currently holds a food services
contract w ith CCC Is Brosis Management, which since
2012 has been selling food on campus in the Cougar
Café. However, according to an email from Bob Co
chran, Dean of Student Services, Brosis will be leaving
CCC this summer.
“Very simply ... existing vendor’s contract expires
June 30. We are required to advertise for a food ven
dor service and the existing company, Brosis, decided
that they did not want to submit a proposal for food
services for the college," Cochran wrote.
This left the college to put out a request for proposals
to allow companies to place bids to sell their food at
CCC. This process was met w ith some apprehension.
“With this type of a set up that we have, that we don’t
have dormitories or housing, It’s really hard for compa
nies to make a real profit, a good sized profit. Because
they don’t have mea, plans and stuff," explained Lloyd
Helm, Director of Campus Services, who coordinated
the hiring of the new food services company. “And so
we only received one bid back, from all the Inquiries we
did and everything, which was Trio Hospitality which
was right here in Oregon City.”
Despite there being only the bid from Trio, the hiring
and process of beginning the transition has been a
smooth one.
“They [Trio Hospitality] m et w ith the food service
committee, and brought In some samples o f some
food that they would be making here. And the food
service committee felt that they would be a very good
fit for us,” Helm said.
“ ...I’ m having the kitchen
cleaned, and the serving
area and the dining room
is going to be repainted
and the carpets fixed
and cleaned and all that.”
-Lloyd Helm
According to Trio’s website and mission statement:
“Trio Hospitality Is the culmination of decades of expe
rience In every facet of the hospitality and food service
industries. We take pride in providing a personalized
photo by Megan McCoy
approach to meeting the needs o f our clients. We
celebrate the great power and importance of food.
We are passionate professionals who provide excep
tional service.”
The change In company and menu has been met with
excitement from those involved with the hiring process.
“They w ant to do more farm fresh type stuff, no
hormones In the meats and stuff like that," said Helm.
“More vegetarian; more vegan food choices. And they’re
serving fresh food Instead of something th at’s been
recycled In a warmer a few times. So yeah, we’re look
ing forw ard to having them here and we feel very
confident th at the students are going to like them.
And it’ll increase business and help students to stay
on campus to have their lunch or whatever Instead of
going off campus.”
However, the transition Itself will Indeed be met with
a variety of changes, Including the hiring of staff to help
the three owners of Trio. Brosis Management currently
staffs tw o full-tim e women along w ith a couple CCC
students w ho help as well. As to w hether Trio will
decide to keep this system, Is up to them
“We didn’t put a stipulation If they had to hire the
tw o ladies that are In there presently,” Helm stated.
.“It’s up to them, and w hat they have Indicated is, is
that they have a right to apply for It too.”
Although the contract will officially start July 6, Trio
will have to wait a little longer to get started.
“They won’t take position of the kitchen until August,
because I’m having the kitchen repainted, everything
cleaned, and the serving area Is going to be repainted
and the dining room Is going to be repainted and the
carpets, you know, fixed and cleaned, and all that,”
Helm explained. “So we’re taking the month of July to
be able to get folks In here tp get equipment checked
out and make sure everything’s working like It’s sup
posed to. We don’t want any breakdowns or anything
like that when they’re trying to get started.”
In the past, the success and popularity of the Cou
gar Café hasn’t always been m et w ith high ratings.
However, w ith the hiring of Trio, the school is looking
to revamp the café, bring healthier options to CCC and
create a different atmosphere for students to stay on
campus to eat.
Trio Is excited as well, as they wrote on their Face-
book page, “Great things are In store, can’t w ait to
start sharing pictures of the revitalized Cougar Café
w ith you soon.”
Although the process to hire a new food services
company on a com m unity college campus can be
difficult, the hiring of Trio has been positive.
“All In all we were very surprised, you m ight say, but
very pleased,” Helm said.