5 things: Aramark’s U.S. Food & Support Service unit sees 45% organic revenue jump in Q3

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:

Aramark reported a third quarter 2022 organic revenue increase of 45% for its U.S. Food & Support Services unit compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2021. The company said the increase was driven by contributions from each of its markets, with highlights including Education reporting solid performance to end the 2021-22 academic year, Sports & Entertainment seeing increased per capita spending led by Major League Baseball and an accelerated return of concert schedules, Business & Industry experiencing continued gradual progress with higher participation rates and increased levels of in-person interaction at client sites, and Healthcare realizing growth led by increased client activity related to elective surgeries and clinical care.

Read more: Aramark Reports Third Quarter Earnings

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 recently passed in the U.S. Senate does not include an extension of free school meals contained in the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act previously backed by 51 Senators, nor key child nutrition provisions included in the Build Back Better Act passed in the House of Representatives last year. The House is expected to take up the bill this week and could theoretically amend it to include the school meal provisions, but that would force another vote in the Senate where the bill only passed thanks to a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris.

Related:5 things: Public university privatizes its campus housing, extending a trend

Read more: Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 leaves 30 million school kids behind

Even as "Blink" and "The Tipping Point" author Malcolm Gladwell criticized the work-from-home trend, indications are that the practice continues to impact businesses across the country, reducing customer counts for corporate dining providers. For instance, fast food chain Shake Shack told investors that its sales missed Wall Street forecasts because the rate at which office workers are returning to their cubicles has slowed while security firm Kastle Systems released a report noting that office occupancy in 10 major US metro areas averaged 44% in the week ending July 27 because tech companies and financial giants are hesitant to force employees back into the office for fear that workers could quit their jobs in favor of others that offer more flexibility.

Related:5 tech things: Use of robots lets senior community pay human workers more

Read more: Malcolm Gladwell slams working from home: ‘What have you reduced your life to?’

In an effort to combat food insecurity, Boulder Community Health (BCH) in Colorado has partnered with Denver-based nonprofit Project Angel Heart to provide about a week’s worth of free, specialized meals to about 90 Boulder County residents, thanks to a one-year, $75,000 grant from the hospital’s foundation. The meals will be delivered directly to the homes of BCH patients who live in Boulder County and have either identified as residents who are experiencing food insecurity through the hospital’s social screening or have medical ailments such as congestive heart failure, cancer, AIDS or kidney disease.

Read more: Boulder Community Health Foundation allocates $75,000 to begin partnership aimed at addressing patient food insecurity

The NFL's Houston Texans in partnership with Aramark are slashing prices on four of the most-ordered concessions items for all Texans home games during the 2022 season. The Fan First Deals offer a total average of a 20% decrease in the prices of the all-beef hot dog, crispy chicken tender basket, 20-oz. Coca-Cola cup soda and 16-oz. domestic beer.

Read more: Houston Texans unveil Fan First Deals to elevate gameday experience for fans

Bonus: Back to School: K-12 meal programs face financial, operational challenges

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]