JJ’s Red Hots is about to offer college students a master’s degree in the art of handcrafted hot dogs. The Charlotte, North Carolina–based brand announced a partnership with Chartwells Higher Education, a division of Compass Group North America, to bring JJ’s Red Hots to college campuses.

“JJ’s is impressive in every aspect of its business, and we are thrilled to add them to our portfolio of category leaders,” says Nicole Hatfield, director of brand development with Compass Group North America. “They are a hip brand, and their commitment to quality and excellence is unmatched. We are sure they are going to be an immediate hit at the higher education institutions we serve.”

Until recently, JJ’s had been a well-kept secret, yet highly adored in Charlotte, where it has restaurants in Ballantyne and Dilworth, North Carolina.

“JJ’s is extremely excited for this opportunity as the value and portability of our core products will resonate very well with college students on the move. I can already envision students eating our hot dogs while zipping around campus on their skateboards,” says Jonathan Luther, owner and founder of JJ’s Red Hots. “The high energy of a university setting is right in our sweet spot, because we like to have fun with our brand, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously—except when it comes to making world-class hot dogs and sausages.”

“The initial plan is to engage the students in the creative process and ‘crowdsource’ ideas using social media,” says Brandy Newton, JJ’s director of marketing and brand development. “We think this will also help with our marketing efforts as 100 percent of the student body is engaged in social media and online activities."

JJ’s plans to open its first location on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton this summer with a customized menu and a special FAU Dog that will be designed specifically for the public university.