RICH PRODUCTS SPONSORS NACUFS FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
NACUFS held its annual Foodservice Management Institute at Rich’s WHQ facility June 9–June 15, 2008. This is the 10th year that Rich’s has sponsored and hosted this event in Buffalo.
Each year, a group of 21 individuals from colleges, universities, medical learning centers, and private academies across the country participate in this weeklong learning session.
Attendees, all managers of foodservice on their respective campuses, were divided into three major groups: residential dining, catering services, and retail operations. These groups were formed at the beginning of the week and continued to work together on various projects throughout the institute.
The institute included information on cost control; hazard analysis, critical control points, and sanitation regulations; reading financial reports; building effective budgets; building successful menus; quality assurance; display cooking; presentation skills; merchandising and marketing; and ”quick fire" restaurant operations.
This year’s quick fire restaurant operations involved putting together a “restaurant” to feature BBQ, subs, or pizza, while utilizing 
products from Rich’s. This year’s “restaurants” were: Coast 2 Coast, which featured subs; Buffalo Bills BBQ, specializing in BBQ; and Fireside Pizzeria, specializing in pizza. Along with the food, each restaurant was also required to demonstrate skills in marketing, menu 
building, and financial budgeting. The three “restaurants” showcased their talent on Thursday, June 12, during lunch for invited associate “guests.”
The conference concluded with a full product presentation and graduation on Saturday, June 14.
While not working and studying, the group enjoyed some of the attractions Buffalo is known for: sports, outdoor scenic beauty, events, and food. The group enjoyed a Buffalo Bisons game and a trip to Niagara Falls, which included dinner and wine tasting at Niagara-On-the-Lake. The group also enjoyed a sample of local music and art on Thursday at the Square and the Allentown Art Festival. No trip to Buffalo would be complete without sampling some local foods—the group visited local eateries and dined on the city’s famous chicken wings and beef on weck.