5 things: Amazon delays office return to January

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

Joining other major West Coast employers making similar moves, Amazon has announced that it is pushing back its return-to-office date for tech and corporate workers from Sept. 7 to Jan. 3 as COVID-19 cases surge nationally due to the Delta Variant. Unlike some other firms, however, Amazon, Washington state's largest private employer with around 60,000 employees in its Seattle area offices, will not mandate employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine before they return to the office, though they will be required to wear masks in the office.

Read more: Amazon Pushes Back Return to Office to January Due to COVID

Elior North America has joined a strategic investment partnership in the financial backing of Culinesse, a newly created boutique dining services management company designed to serve the Life Plan Community (LPC) senior living market by offering uniquely tailored, high-touch foodservice management services. The newly launched venture was created by a collaborative team of foodservice management industry veterans led by Mitch Possinger and Lisa Schairer as co-founders and managing partners. Possinger founded healthcare specialist contract firm Cura Hospitality, which Elior acquired in 2015, while Schairer has served as Cura's managing director since 2018.

Related:School nutrition trending: SNA survey indicates anxiety over coming school year; High school farmers bring in the greens

Read more: Elior North America Takes Investment Position in Culinesse, LLC, a Boutique Dining Services Management Start-up in the Fast-Growing Life Plan Community Market

Uncertainties about back-to-school policies are hampering farm-to-school efforts in Kansas. One grower that had been supplying lettuce to school meal programs at two districts had to throw it out or donate it after the schools closed after the 2020 spring break, and then didn't get any sales last year. With the fall return looming, they still don't know what demand they will get, which complicates decisions on how much crop to plant as they take several months to grow.

Read more: COVID's Influence On The School Cafeteria? Less Fresh, Local Food For Kansas Kids

The Memorial Healthcare System hospital chain in South Florida hospital is suspending elective surgeries and putting beds in conference rooms, an auditorium and even a cafeteria to accommodate a surge of patients seeking treatment for COVID-19. Memorial Healthcare has opened up an additional 250 beds at its six hospitals in Broward County.

Related:5 things: New York prohibits unpaid meal fee lawsuits

Read more: Florida hospital puts beds in conference rooms, cafeteria to treat COVID patients

Delaware North will manage food and beverage services at UBS Arena, the new home of the NHL's New York Islanders set to open this fall. “UBS Arena will be the blueprint for arenas of the future, and we are proud to bring our ever-advancing model of hospitality to the table,” said Delaware North CEO Jerry Jacobs Jr.

Read more: Delaware North to manage concessions at New York Islanders' new arena

Bonus: Regis College Aramark chef takes duck from old-school stuffiness to bulgogi spiciness in award-winning bowl

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]