Campus Dining opened a new campus grocery store in Poly Canyon Village named Hilltop, alongside Cal Poly Partners. The goal is to give students a closer and more affordable option for groceries, said Russell Monteath, the director of commercial services.
Complete with fresh produce, deli meats, and other toiletries, Hilltop joins other spots on campus as a place where students can buy several prepackaged goods. However, what sets it apart, Monteath said, is its affordability and wide-ranging options. This, he said, is in response to students complaining about going off campus to find cheaper groceries.
“One of the biggest things I’ve heard from students, even from a dining perspective, is that there really isn’t a grocery option on campus,” Monteath said. “We have heard from students that $12 to 13 for a box of cereal is way too high and they’re trying to find ways on buses, on Lyfts and on Ubers to find cheaper options.”
The concept for Hilltop came out of a desire to serve students and their need for attainable groceries that fit their budget rather than to generate revenue, Monteath said. He attributes lower prices to working with suppliers such as Food Buy, JD Meats and Seafood, Cal Poly products and Core-Mark.
“For us, it’s just extending the model of what we’re buying for, we realize students are having to go off campus already,” Monteath said.
To also serve students, Monteath said Cal Poly Partners was “exploring” the possibly of being a service in the future where students can order groceries from Hilltop on their phone and have them delivered.
Monteath encourages students to provide feedback to make Hilltop more successful.
“Are there going to be some misses? Maybe, but we’re open to feedback,” Monteath said. “We’re open to figuring out what students are looking for, to figure out what it is that students are looking for and trying to find a win for them.”
Dining and Cooking