Centerplate has signed a definite merger agreement with an affiliate of private equity firm Kohlberg & Co. LLC, to be acquired in an all-cash deal.
Baltimore Schools will begin offering free breakfasts in classrooms in a bid to increase participation, which currently stands at around 22 percent for breakfasts served in school cafeterias. The district is partnering with local sports teams the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens to promote the initiative.
Aramark plans to stop serving meals at Florida prisons in January. Brought in seven years ago to manage the previously self-operated foodservice in the state's prisons, Aramark invoked a 120-day termination clause in its contract, citing rapid rises in food costs and a poor working relationship with the state as the reasons for its action.
Treat America Food Services has bought two divisions of Crystal Food Services: C.A.F.E. Group, an Indianapolis-based dining services provider for the B&I market, and Capital Vending, a vending services provider in central Indiana.
Columbus (OH) Schools has named Joe Brown director of its district food services. He joins the department after nine years with Aramark Healthcare, most recently at Grant Hospital in Columbus.
University of New Hampshire Dining Services has reopened UNH's landmark Dairy Bar after nearly a year. An expanded menu includes the original ice cream/frozen yogurt selections as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner sandwiches and homemade soups made with locally sourced ingredients, and organic coffee drinks.
Sodexo plans to open a concept called SubConnection Magic in partnership with basketball legend Magic Johnson at Florida A&M University. The space is expected to be ready for opening in January.
Boston College Dining Services has launched a new dining location called Addie's Loft that features dishes made primarily with locally grown ingredients. Replacing a previous dining outlet on the second floor of Corcoran Commons, it features tossed salads, flatbread pizzas and sandwiches as well as local brands like Richardson's ice cream and North End Italian soda.
As many as 28 Clark County (NV) School District food service trucks could carry commercial advertising sometime next year, generating as much as $1.4 million in additional revenue. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, is facing a million dollar budget shortfall and is exploring different strategies to generate extra revenues before resorting to cutting expenses.
Mark Dyball, former executive chef for the UCLA Medical Center, has joined Room Service Technologies, LLC, as head of its new Culinary Direction subsidiary. Culinary Directions will focus on retail foodservice operations in healthcare environments and will focus on improving the image, service level and profitability of all staff-dining and catering operations, says RST President Gary Conley.
The NACUFS Visioning Summit Report: Trends in College & University Foodservices, 2008-2018 publication is now available. For info or to order, contact Gail Campana, director of publications & marketing at gcampana@nacufs.org or (517) 332-2494.
FOR BREAKING NEW BRIEFS GO TO: http://www.food-management.com
