Central Kitchen Case Study: Benefits
Case study quick links: intro & planning, benefits (current page), design & construction, menu & procurement, staffing, and community engagement.
Benefits of Consolidation
The Culinary Center provides the platform for the FSD to continue to innovate in large-scale scratch-cooking for school meals. While the quality of the meals, source of ingredients, and expanded community partnerships were compelling reasons to support the project, the long-term financial benefits of consolidation were central to the Board of Education’s support of the “District Kitchen” in the Master Plan.
Central Kitchen Case Study: Benefits
Case study quick links: intro & planning, benefits (current page), design & construction, menu & procurement, staffing, and community engagement.
Benefits of Consolidation
The Culinary Center provides the platform for the FSD to continue to innovate in large-scale scratch-cooking for school meals. While the quality of the meals, source of ingredients, and expanded community partnerships were compelling reasons to support the project, the long-term financial benefits of consolidation were central to the Board of Education’s support of the “District Kitchen” in the Master Plan.
Because program participation has increased steadily, if a CC was not implemented, production costs would continue to increase due to establishing a fourth Regional Production Kitchen.
Consolidating production from three locations to one purpose-built location will decrease the payroll of production by approximately one-third.
The efficiencies designed into the CC far exceed the production capabilities of school-based production locations. The scale and type of system will produce more with less labor.
Because program participation has increased steadily, if a CC was not implemented, production costs would continue to increase due to establishing a fourth Regional Production Kitchen.
Consolidating production from three locations to one purpose-built location will decrease the payroll of production by approximately one-third.
The efficiencies designed into the CC far exceed the production capabilities of school-based production locations. The scale and type of system will produce more with less labor.
Centralized production also increases the food service department’s ability to expand its business model through partnering with charter schools to provide meals, as well as eventually producing bulk prepared products for sale.
The CC will increase quality control and efficiencies in the preparation process by improving consistency of the end product. Reducing food waste through bulk production increases control and efficiency, which saves funds.
Centralized production also increases the food service department’s ability to expand its business model through partnering with charter schools to provide meals, as well as eventually producing bulk prepared products for sale.
The CC will increase quality control and efficiencies in the preparation process by improving consistency of the end product. Reducing food waste through bulk production increases control and efficiency, which saves funds.
Consolidating procurement to one location is expected to reduce food costs initially 1 to 2 percent, minimum.
Moving the Regional PKs out of the school sites will improve the day-to-day site management and security of school sites by eliminating the extra truck traffic and the impact on campus schedules that was required for them to host the Regional PKs.
Moving the meal production out of the schools increases the food service department’s ability to ensure food safety in all facets of the operation.
Consolidating procurement to one location is expected to reduce food costs initially 1 to 2 percent, minimum.
Moving the Regional PKs out of the school sites will improve the day-to-day site management and security of school sites by eliminating the extra truck traffic and the impact on campus schedules that was required for them to host the Regional PKs.
Moving the meal production out of the schools increases the food service department’s ability to ensure food safety in all facets of the operation.
