Nassau Community College to have food vendor in place when classes start for the fall
Nassau Community College in Garden City. Credit: Howard Schnapp
After having to scramble to use food trucks to serve students and staff in the spring when an on-campus dining provider abruptly left, Nassau Community College will have a food vendor that will be in place when classes open Sept. 3.
The prior food vendor on campus had pulled out of its contract in April, leading to the closure of food and dining services on the campus as well as a Starbucks.
A new vendor, New York-based Genuine Foods, will offer on-campus dining options at the college’s food court and on-campus marketplace starting in the fall term, according to Jerry Kornbluth, NCC's vice president for community and governmental relations. The college also is working to bring a Starbucks back on campus, he said Monday.
According to the Genuine Foods website, the company has experience with food service in K-12 schools, college campuses and assisted living facilities. Representatives could not immediately be reached Tuesday.
Kornbluth said the college and provider have agreed to a five-year contract with an option to renew for another five years at no cost to the community college.
College officials came under fire in the spring when the food service provider shut down, leaving students and staff with no other options than vending machines. The college brought in food trucks soon after the disruption.
According to a June document from the college regarding food services, the college had a contract with CulinArt Group Inc. through May 2026, but the group terminated the contract in April.
At the time, the food service vendor had proposed to charge the college about $320,000 per year for the next seven years, but that was too costly, Kornbluth said.
Students and staff rallied on campus soon after, saying the lack of food there was a hindrance to learning and part of broader issues with the school’s administration.
Genuine Foods has been selected as a dining provider for other colleges nationwide, including Eastern Oregon University and Lees-McRae College in North Carolina.
According to a release from the Eastern Oregon school, Genuine Foods will introduce a variety of new menu options, including plant-based and allergen-friendly meals. The partnership includes a focus on sustainability, with plans to reduce food waste, source from local food providers, and implement eco-friendly practices throughout the dining operations.
The company is expected to survey students about their dining preferences on a regular basis, and the new full service food court will be called Prowler Grill and Eatery, Kornbluth said.
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
