Chartwells Universities, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, and Tortilla Mexican Grill plc, the UK’s leading fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand, have agreed a partnership that will see the roll out of at least 14 Tortilla restaurants across Chartwells’ estate over the next five years.
Tortilla’s highly customisable, affordable offer is already available at Middlesex University, Brunel University, Sussex University and Swansea University, with further openings planned this year.
Customers will be able to order to stay or takeaway and in some locations skip the queue by utilising Tortilla’s pre-order kiosks. They also have the option to order via Chartwells Universities’ market-leading ‘Uni Food Hub’ app for collection or delivery around campus. Tortilla and Chartwells Universities’ relationship with external delivery platforms means that in serviceable locations the offer will also be available for delivery within the local area via Deliveroo—Tortilla’s exclusive delivery partner.
The partnership demonstrates Chartwells Universities’ innovative approach to evolving its offer to meet the ever-changing demands of students, as well as Tortilla’s appetite for continuing the expansion of its business beyond the high-street. In recent months, Tortilla has launched new sites and formats, opening sites at Gatwick Airport and Leeds Skelton Lakes Services in partnership with SSP Group plc.
The agreement brings together two likeminded businesses, both of which are committed to finding greener, more sustainable ways of doing business; embracing progressive, multi-channel marketing strategies; and supplying fresh, customisable, value-for-money products that appeal to wide demographics.
Kerry Ford, Managing Director, Chartwells Universities said: “This agreement marks a milestone in the implementation of our market-leading new proposition for university catering and demonstrates our commitment to evolving our operating model and meeting the ever-changing demands of our students.
“The rising demand for Mexican food has been a stand-out trend during recent years, alongside a drive towards more sustainable consumption and greater emphasis on quality and provenance. In Tortilla, we have found a partner to help meet these demands and elevate our Mexican offer, utilising its strong brand equity and shared brand values to engage a young, fun student audience.”
Andy Naylor, Chief Financial Officer of Tortilla, said: “We are excited to partner with Chartwells Universities and launch new sites across the UK. In recent years, we have been successful in adapting the brand for new locations and formats, and this will be another opportunity for us to showcase our ability to bring Tortilla to customers across a breadth of locations. This is a significant agreement for us and will support our long-term UK growth ambitions, while driving consumer awareness within a key target demographic.”