Saint Leo University, Genuine Foods Announce New Multi-Year Dining Partnership

Saint Leo University, in partnership with national food service provider Genuine Foods is bringing a reimagined dining program to campus, with service beginning July 1 and new dining options and enhancements rolling out in phases ahead of a campus wide Grand Reopening the week of August 19. The agreement spans residential, retail, and catering dining across Saint Leo’s residential campus.

The new program represents a fresh chapter for dining at Saint Leo, offering students scratch-made meals, modernized service, and a hospitality-first approach. The partnership strengthens the on-campus experience through expanded variety and dining concepts, including dedicated dining support for student-athletes at Benfica Soccer Academy, the residential academy for Portugal’s storied Benfica club housed on Saint Leo’s campus.

The reimagined dining program features:

• A refreshed main dining hall with scratch-madestations and an expanded menu mix, including more plant-forward andallergen-conscious options, along with globally inspired dishes reflecting Saint Leo’s Caribbean and Indianstudent communities
• The Field BBQ & Grill, a new late-night, rotating BBQ and smokehouse concept open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight, accepting meal exchanges and bringing chef-driven flavor to campus after dark
• Dedicated dining support for the Benfica Soccer Academy, who are participating in the university’s highest-tier meal plan, alongside Genuine X, GenuineFoods’ performance nutrition program, which brings chef-driven, recovery-focused fueling to all student-athletes across Saint Leo’s campus
• Mobile ordering and app-based dining tools, giving students menu transparency, pickup scheduling, and feedback tools, built to work alongside Saint Leo’s existing point-of-sale infrastructure

Radical hospitality is at the center of everything we do at Saint Leo, and dining is one of the most frequent ways our students experience it every day. Genuine Foods shares that commitment, and this partnership gives us a real, measurable way to bring that vision to life oncampus.
Dr. Jim Burkee, president of St. Leo University

Genuine Foods worked closely with Saint Leo’s leadership team, coaching staff, and students to design a program that elevatesevery part of the dining experience, from menu development and chef-ledculinary training to facility readiness and technology integration.

We believe that good food unlocks potential, Saint Leo told us what it wanted: more scratch cooking, more hospitality, and a dining program that feels like it belongs on this campus, from the dining hall to The Field BBQ & Grill to the fueling our Genuine X program brings to student-athletes across campus every day. We’re proud to be building that with them, and can't wait to welcome the full campus home.
Paula Reichel, chief iinovation officer for Genuine Foods

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About Genuine Foods

Genuine Foods is the leading national purpose-driven food service company, turning everyday meals into memorable experiences through delicious, scratch-made dishes rooted in culinary excellence, health and wellness, and hospitality that goes beyond the plate. In K–12 schools, Genuine Foods partners with independent and faith-based schools to nourish students with chef-driven menus, signature hospitality training, transparent partnership, and dining programs shaped around each school community we serve. Learn more at genuinefoods.com.

About Saint Leo University

Founded in 1889 by the Order of Saint Benedict, Saint Leo University is the oldest Catholic university in Florida and one of the largest Catholic universities in the Southeast. As a liberal arts-based institution, it serves students through its residential campus in St. Leo, Florida, online programs, and education centers nationwide. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees across a broad range of disciplines. Saint LeoUniversity is committed to academic excellence and innovation, advancing students’ professional success while fostering ethical leadership and service to others. Learn more at saintleo.edu.

Media inquiries

For Genuine Foods
Paula Reichel
paula.reichel@genuinefoods.com