The University of Texas Permian Basin and Genuine Foods Announce New Multi-Year Dining Partnership

The University of Texas Permian Basin, in partnership with national food service provider Genuine Foods, began summer dining service on June 2, 2026, with the fully reimagined campus dining program opening for the fall semester in August 2026. The five-year agreement spans residential, retail, catering, and athletics dining across UT Permian Basin’s Odessa and Midland campuses.

The new program represents a fresh chapter for dining at UT Permian Basin, bringing scratch-made meals, modernized service, and a hospitality-first approach to more than 5,300 Falcons. The partnership strengthens the on-campus experience through expanded variety and dining concepts shaped around the West Texas community UT Permian Basin calls home.

The reimagined dining program features:

• A reimagined residential dining hall with nine scratch-made stations including chef-driven salads and bowls (Greens), made-to-order sandwiches and wraps (Basin Deli), rotating global cuisines (Action), grill favorites (Falcon Grill), pizza and baked pasta (Italian Classics), homestyle Texas comfort entrées (Kitchen Table), top-9 allergen-free options (Clean Eats), rotating seasonal soups (Genuine Soup), and all-day offerings
• Expanded retail dining with The Perch, a Starbucks-branded café in the campus library; Fiona’s Place in the Student Activity Center; Wildcatter Café in the CEED Building on UT Permian Basin’s Midland campus; and the reopening of Mesa Market.
• Mobile ordering and the Genuine University Dining Experience App, giving students menu transparency, nutrition and allergen information, pickup scheduling, feedback tools, and rewards

Dining is central to how students experience campus life, and we wanted a partner who treats it that way. Genuine Foods stood out because of their commitment to serving fresh, high-quality ingredients and their focus on creating a dining experience that reflects the needs of our campus community.

As a smaller organization, they bring a level of flexibility and responsiveness that aligns well with UTPB, and their team takes great pride in what they do and genuinely cares about making a difference for our students.

We are excited to partner with a company that shares our commitment to investing in Falcons through real food, real hospitality, and a program built around the community we serve here in The Basin.
Bradley Shook, Sr. Vice President for Technology and Operations at UT Permian Basin

Genuine Foods worked closely with university leaders, students, and athletics staff to design a program that honors UT Permian Basin’s identity while elevating every part of the dining experience, from menu development and chef-led culinary training to facility readiness, technology integration, and the reopening of Mesa Market this fall. The partnership builds on Genuine Foods’ proven scratch-made program at nearby Midland College, where students have given high marks for food quality, value, and team experience.

We believe that good food unlocks potential, The Falcons told us what they wanted: more scratch cooking, more variety, more hospitality, and a dining program that feels like it belongs to UT Permian Basin. We’re proud to be building that with them, and we can’t wait to open our doors this summer and welcome the full campus back in August.
Paula Reichel, Chief Inovation 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 higher education, Genuine Foods partners with colleges and universities to make campus dining a destination, supporting student satisfaction, retention, and community through scratch kitchens, chef-driven menus, signature hospitality training, and dining programs shaped around the campuses we serve. Learn more at genuinefoods.com.

About The University of Texas Permian Basin

The University of Texas Permian Basin is a regional, comprehensive institution serving more than 5,300 students from West Texas, across the state, and around the world. Through excellence in student-centered teaching, learning, research, and public service, UT Permian Basin cultivates engaged citizens and impacts lives while advancing the technological and public interests of West Texas. The university offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate programs across five academic colleges, with main campus operations in Odessa and additional programming in Midland. Its 14 NCAA Division II varsity teams compete as the Falcons in the Lone Star Conference. Learn more at utpb.edu.

Media inquiries

For The University of Texas Permian Basin
Alexa Dunson
Office of Communications and Marketing ‍
Communications@utpb.edu

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