5 things: Sodexo North America reports 17.5% revenue gain 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:

Sodexo reported a FY2021 third quarter revenue gain of 17.5% in its North American On-Site Services unit, marginally lower than the 19% increase posted by the company as a whole over the period. The North American unit saw a 6.4% gain in Business & Administration revenues, though recovery in the Corporate Services area is "still slow," while Education saw a large 61.3% increase thanks to higher volumes in universities as students progressively return to campuses and schools see progressive reopening, while Healthcare/Seniors rose only 0.1% despite gains in retail operations and the resumption of elective surgeries that drive more traffic to healthcare facility locations.

Read more: Q3 Fiscal 2021 revenues presentation

Some of Google's famous employee amenities are returning when it reopens its offices on July 12. While some employees will be allowed to continue working from home permanently, those coming back to the company's Googleplex headquarters Mountain View, Ca. will be able to enjoy a reopened cafeteria, though the cafeterias at the Googleplex will see limited services and options at some locations.

Related:5 things: Lockdowns may have caused diabetes surge among kids, study finds

Read more: Google will reopen its famous cafeterias and relaunch its shuttle bus service next month as employees begin returning to the office

Google announced a new website, “Find Food Support,” that has a food locator tool powered by Google Maps that can be used to search for the nearest food bank, food pantry or school lunch program pickup site. Google is working with non-profit groups like No Kid Hungry and FoodFinder, as well as the USDA, to aggregate 90,000 locations with free food support across all 50 states, with more locations to come.

Read more: Google launches new search tool to help combat food insecurity

Synchrony Financial, the bank behind Amazon and PayPal credit cards, is bucking the trend among major financial firms to get employees back to offices full-time by not requiring them to be in the office five days a week and ditching a significant portion of its real estate along the way, moves that will help it shave a quarter of a billion dollars from expenses this year. Synchrony will now have three types of offices—those who opt to work from virtual hubs will have no physical office nearby and will work remotely permanently, while some others will have access to so-called hoteling sites where they can book a desk when they need it, and a third group can work a hybrid schedule that gives them the option of having an assigned seat.

Related:5 things: Major Massachusetts hospitals to require COVID vaccination for staff

Read more: Bank Bucks U.S. Peers, Saying No One Should Return 5 Days a Week

Western Michigan University has announced that fully vaccinated students will get a $5 Starbucks gift card and have the chance to win one of 60 scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000 that can be applied to tuition, fees, on-campus housing and campus dining. The first drawing for three $10,000, five $2,500 and 10 $1,000 scholarships will be Aug. 6 for students who are enrolled and fully vaccinated.

Read more: WMU offering scholarships up to $10K for students who get vaccinated

Bonus: One On One With: Canteen expands automated meal service with Le Bread Xpress deal

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]