Rochester’s renowned supermarket chain is set to stay on the shelves at UR dining locations, including Hillside and the Pit. Wegmans’ prepared meals will officially continue to be available to students to grab right from campus in a new partnership between Wegmans and the University that marks the grocer’s first-ever venture into collegiate dining.
What began as a pilot program last academic year has expanded to hold a permanent place in campus dining, offering students the chance to enjoy Wegmans-prepared meals from the comfort of campus. University leaders describe this partnership as a stepping stone to strengthening local business relationships and reimagining what campus food can look like.
This initiative started when Vice President of Student Life John Blackshear reached out to Wegmans to inquire about offering their prepared food options to UR students. “Adding new options to the student dining experience is one facet of improving the overall student experience,” University Spokesperson Sara Miller said on behalf of Blackshear. “The Wegmans partnership is among the first of many future innovations coming to UR Dining.”
After a successful pilot program during the 2024-2025 school year, the University formalized its partnership with Wegmans this year.
As the first university to collaborate with Wegmans in this way, UR has sparked a new kind of relationship between the supermarket and higher education. For UR dining, which now operates under a self-run model, the partnership underscores the flexibility to pursue more creative, community-based collaborations, reinforcing the University’s connection to Rochester and showcasing how local partnerships can strengthen campus culture.
Wegmans partnering with Rochester Dining has resonated beyond the campus community. Vice Provost and University Dean of Enrollment Management Robert Alexander noted that admissions counselors have already seen positive impressions from prospective students.
“Our counselors have shown photos of the partnership during high school visits and heard excitement from students,” Alexander said. “While visiting schools in New York City, just blocks from Wegmans locations there, prospective students cheered when they learned they could visit the flagship stores in Rochester and enjoy some of their favorite items on campus.”
According to Miller, Dining Services plans to continue to explore new collaborations with other Rochester businesses.
“There is abundant potential for new local partnerships,” she said. “We’re grateful to Wegmans for partnering with us on this new venture.”
