Food biz stretches reach with Florida colleges

SARASOTA — Metz Culinary Management, a Pennsylvania firm that opened a southern U.S. office in Sarasota last year, recently picked up dining contracts for Hillsbourgh Community College, Polk State College and New College of Florida.

Dallas, Pa.-based Metz will hire 250 employees to serve students, faculty, staff and their guests at the three colleges, work that encompasses more than 68,000 people, according to a release. The firm, which began to provide food services at Florida A&M University in January, now works with four colleges in the state. Polk State signed a five-year agreement with Metz, while Hillsbourgh Community and New College, in Sarasota, signed 10-year deals. Financial terms of the contract weren't released.

Metz, according to the statement, has already begun to provide dining services at Polk State and on three of five Hillsbourgh Community campuses. The firm is currently remolding the food court at New College. “The announcement is indicative of Metz Culinary Management's dedication to bringing exceptional dining services to higher education partners in the state of Florida,” Metz vice president of business development for the southern region Jack Brill says in a release.

Metz serves hospitals, schools and corporations and has more than 160 accounts in 14 states. The company was previously named one of the top 20 dining services companies in the U.S. by Food Management magazine.