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2019 K-12 Power Players

Here are the country’s 25 largest school districts’ meal programs.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

February 12, 2019

25 Slides
Power Players

The 2019 edition of FM’s K-12 Power Players listing tabulates and profiles the school meal programs at the 25 largest public K-12 school districts in the United States as ranked by current enrollment. In addition to basic factual information, we have included brief notes for each on recent foodservice-related initiatives or major developments that might have affected each particular program.

While these 25 districts collectively constitute a small fraction of the entire school foodservice market, they do have outsized influence in areas like product development and vendor priorities because of their purchasing power, so their activities, initiatives and areas of emphasis have significance for the entire school food community.

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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