PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As many college campuses make arrangements to safely open amid COVID-19, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), a leading food and facilities partner with hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S., is prepared to meet the safety and hygiene standards required in today’s ever-changing environment. This includes introducing a variety of new programs and service offerings to support a safe, enjoyable campus dining experience.
“As with many other aspects of campus life, dining services will look and feel a little different this Fall,” said Jack Donovan, President of Aramark’s Higher Education business. “Knowing health and safety is imperative for returning students and faculty, as well as our employees and the broader campus community, we are working closely with our partners to tailor operations and adapt programs to help safeguard the preparation, delivery and service of meals.”
Creating A Safe Environment*
Aramark is committed to safety measures that are designed to protect the overall health of its team members, students, faculty and the campus community. The Company recently introduced EverSafe™, a holistic platform that supports the safe reopening and sustainable management of client locations. Aramark’s practices, procedures and protocols have been developed with Jefferson Health, in accordance with recommendations established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and other leading public health organizations.
Increased cleaning frequencies, enhanced protocols and regular communication with employees, clients and customers, to help sustain trust that the space is clean, are just some of the ways Aramark is supporting the reopening efforts of its clients.
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Employee and Customer Wellbeing:
- Requiring appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees
- Frequent hand washing, following CDC guidance and food- related requirements
- Installing plexiglass barriers
- Enhanced training, signage and behavioral “nudges”
- Implementing health checks and temperature monitoring
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Enhanced Cleaning:
- Implementing heightened sanitation throughout dining areas for employees, faculty, staff, and students
- Frequent disinfectant at high-touch areas
- Deep cleaning of campus facilities and dining halls in both front- and back-of-house areas
- Installing hand sanitation stations at all building entry and exit points and dining areas
- Encouraging students to continue washing their hands and using hand sanitizer on a frequent and consistent basis
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Social Distancing:
- Reduced seating in dining areas
- Posting appropriate signage and floor decals to encourage social distancing
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Contactless Operations:
- Implementation of technology to minimize contact
- Increasing self-order kiosks and touchless self-checkout terminals
Responding to Student Needs*
As the Company continuously adapts its operations and offerings for the evolving environment, Aramark is introducing new programs focused around safety, quality, health, and convenience.
- Expanded Grab and Go: To limit physical interactions while purchasing food, Aramark has expanded the Quick Eats Grab & Go program to include a full offering of hot and cold items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack occasions. Menu items are prepared fresh on site and held at the proper serving temperature, so guests can pick up items at their convenience.
- Leveraging Technology: Aramark’s portfolio of digital experiences promotes social distancing and increases student confidence in dining on campus. Mashgin self-checkout decreases wait time and provides a cashless, touchless checkout experience that mitigates the spread of COVID-19, while Good Uncle, an innovative, app-based on-demand food delivery service, brings freshly prepared, restaurant quality meals to conveniently located pick-up points around college campuses.
- Produce Market Box: Recognizing that health remains top of mind for students, and at-home cooking has become more popular, Aramark is working with its regional produce suppliers to make fruit and vegetable boxes available to students. These boxes will be available for sale within existing retail spaces and feature an assortment of the freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables available.
- C-Store with Enhanced Grocery Offering: To provide peace of mind and access to essential items on campus, Aramark has expanded its c-store portfolio with the option to include enhanced grocery offerings. This concept ensures students and faculty have access to grocery items, without leaving campus, and includes on-trend products that have become more popular in response to COVID-19.
- Local Restaurant Row: Local partnerships will be more important than ever when students return to campus. The Local Restaurant Row concept features rotating local establishments to create a sense of community, support local business and combat menu fatigue.
- Individualized Catering: Aramark has created a new platform to safely support and deliver catering orders as clients re-open and students return to the campus community. Individualized Catering provides the same level of customer service, quality and flavors in a box for breakfast, lunch and snacks; satisfying many palates and tastes.
- Healthy Social Guidance: Aramark continues to encourage safe, healthy habits, via its social media outlets, including healthful food features and tips, and nutrition and food safety education.
To learn more about how Aramark elevates the student experience with custom campus solutions, visit https://www.aramark.com/industries/education/colleges-universities.
*The availability and implementation of services and offerings may vary by campus.
About EverSafe™
Launched by Aramark in May 2020, EverSafe™ is a multi-dimensional platform which supports the safe reopening and sustainable management of our client locations around the world. EverSafe was built on Aramark’s dining and facilities management expertise - in consultation with the medical and technical teams of leading public health expert, Jefferson Health - and developed in accordance with recommendations of the CDC, WHO, and other leading health entities. It also heavily leverages research around society’s expectations and needs for transitioning back to life, work and education.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. We deliver innovative experiences and services in food, facilities management and uniforms to millions of people every day. We strive to create a better world by making a positive impact on people and the planet, including commitments to engage our employees; empower healthy consumers; build local communities; source ethically, inclusively and responsibly; operate efficiently and reduce waste. Aramark is recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Human Rights Campaign (LGBTQ+), DiversityInc, Equal Employment Publications and the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
