The five-year-old catering offshoot of the century-old Kylemore restaurant chain said it beat off multinational competition, including industry giants Compass Eurest, Sodexho, and Campbell Catering owner Aramark to win the deal to operate 14 restaurants, two bars, and a hospitality business on campus, employing 100 staff and offering organic and fair-trade choices to students.

Kylemore Foods had revenues of 37m to March and employs 600 staff nationwide. It operates restaurant services in other third level institutions including UCD, DIT and Trinity College. Other headline clients include The National Concert Hall, Icon, Conduit and Cadbury Adams.

The Dublin-based company is currently pursuing more contracts, with one educational institution in the pipeline. It recently launched its new 1m 200-seater restaurant in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.