5 things: Sodexo names new healthcare/seniors unit CEO

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:

 1.    Sodexo names new healthcare/seniors unit CEO

Sodexo has announced the appointment of Molly Matthews as CEO of its U.S. Healthcare and Seniors divisions, replacing Stuart Winters who is returning to his native Australia. Matthews joined Sodexo in April 2022 as COO for the healthcare division after serving as senior vice president and general manager at healthcare GPO Vizient, where she was responsible for managing sales, including $23B in GPO supply chain purchases, and delivery of programs and services for strategic accounts.

Read more: Sodexo Announces Molly Matthews as Chief Operating Officer for U.S. Healthcare & Seniors Divisions

 2.    Delaware North sets World Series concessions sales record

Delaware North Sportservice believes it set a World Series record with a per-cap just shy of $100 a person at Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. In Game 1, fans spent an average of $56.46 for food and beverage and $40 for retail. Delaware North said Game 2 per-caps were slightly lower. Rick Matteo, regional director/retail for Delaware North Sportservice, said that for the playoffs, the company more than doubled the available number of retail points of sale and used handheld scanners to check out people in lines before they hit the register.

Related:5 things: Carton shortage threatens school milk programs across multiple states

Read more: SBJ Unpacks: World Series pays off for Delaware North in Texas

 3.    UCM students help design new Air Force base dining center

A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the renovation of The Ozark Dining Facility at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri not only introduced base personnel and guests to updates on an important food service center, but recognized the partnership between University of Central Missouri (UCM) students and faculty members who helped make the vision for this redesign project a reality. The ceremony came approximately one and a half years after students made a formal presentation at UCM for what became a $560,000 redesign of The Ozark Dining Facility, the dining hub primarily serves military personnel who live in base dormitories, providing breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight meal seven days a week to an estimated 400 airmen per day.

Read more: WAFB-UCM Partnership Celebrated in Opening of Newly Designed Dining Center

 4.    Temple research team to study ways to boost K-12 meal participation

Related:5 tech things: Food lockers to help address food insecurity discretely at Pitt

For the next five years, Temple University social and behavioral sciences professor Gabriella McLoughlin and her research team are collaborating with the School District of Philadelphia to research ways to increase meal participation at eight different public middle and high schools, all of which offer free breakfast and lunches to students. The first year of the study, which kicked off in August, focuses on needs assessment and involves gathering data from the eight anonymous schools, while the second year will focus on analyzing the data collected and working with the school district to derive a pilot test of changes to implement at the schools. The pilot test will be put into practice throughout years three and four of the study.

Read more: Why aren’t Philly students eating?

 5.    Hospital opens food pantry for employees

Hillsboro Medical Center in Oregon recently opened an “employee pantry” in its basement for “all staff who find themselves in need.” The notice invites employees to donate food or money to keep the pantry stocked.

Read more: Hospital Runs Food Pantry for Its Workers

Bonus: Here’s what they are serving at NBA areas this season

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]