The Snowflake Unified School District is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract for food service with Southwest Food Service, Business Manager Mark Ollerton advised the district governing board last week.
The board discussed and approved renewal of the contract at its April 20 meeting.
Alicia Cochran, director of Child Nutrition for Southwest Food, gave a presentation and recap of the 2017 school year.
Cochran said that they do some caterings. They had a Thanksgiving Feast and are making new entrées in an attempt to get students to try the food. For the Chinese New Year at Snowflake High School they prepared edo rolls (sushi rolls) made from crawfish, pulled pork and sushi rice, and wrapped in Norei (seaweed).
They always do a survey to determine whether the students like the food, and “The kids liked it,” said Cochran.
Last year Southwest Food held its first health fair with neighboring districts Whiteriver, Heber-Overgaard and Joseph City in Heber, and on May 4, they will hold the health fair in Snowflake.
Southwest Food provides the food for football camps, with five scheduled in Snowflake this year.
The total cash sales for the 2017-18 school year are estimated to be $89,208.08 based on 172,350 meals/meal equivalents, and federal reimbursements based on the current rates are estimated to be $424,259.78 for a total estimate of $513,467.86. Expenses are estimated to be $516,741.94, which will be a minus $3,274.08 to the district. It was noted that this number does not include football camps or catered meals.
Ollerton advised the board that there are no price changes in the coming year.
The governing board unanimously approved renewing the Southwest Food Service contract.
