Gaithersburg, Md.

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)

2021: $7.795
2020: $8.962
2019: $10.850
2018: $9.6
2017: $9.8
Contracts: 5,631

Segments Served

40.5%—Healthcare/Seniors
31%—Education
28.5%—B&I
Contact Information  

9801 Washingtonian Blvd.

Gaithersburg, Md. 20878

(301) 987-4000

sodexousa.com

TOP EXECUTIVE

Sarosh Mistry, Region Chair for North America

For more, see separate profile page

Philadelphia

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)
2021: $6.809
2020: $7.367
2019: $9.898
2018: $10.140
2017: $10.230

Contracts: na

Segments Served
31%—Education
23%—Facilities/Other
22%—Sports/Leisure/Corrections
13%—Healthcare
10%—B&I

Contact Information
2400 Market St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 238-3000
www.aramark.com

KEY EXECUTIVES
John Zillmer, CEO
Tom Ondrof, Executive Vice President/CFO
Marc Bruno, COO, U.S. Food & Facilities
Ash Hanson, SVP and Chief Diversity & Sustainability Officer
Tim Barttrum, President & CEO, Corrections
Alison Birdwell, President & CEO, Sports & Entertainment
Gary Crompton, President & CEO, Business Dining
Jack Donovan, President & CEO, Higher Education
Bruce Fears, President & CEO, Leisure
Barbara Flanagan, President & CEO, K-12
Burt Kaericher, President & CEO, Healthcare
Patrick Liebler, President & CEO, Refreshments

For more, see separate profile page 
 

Buffalo

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)
2021: $2.8
2020: $1.45
2019: $3.3
2018: $3.4
2017: $3.0

Contracts: na

Segments Served
57.5%—Arenas/Stadiums
22.3%—Transportation
14.7%—Parks/Recreation
4.3%—Other
0.9%—B&I
0.3%—Museums/Perf. Arts Ctrs.

Contact Information   
250 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y. 14202
(716) 858-5000
delawarenorth.com

KEY EXECUTIVES
Jerry Jacobs Jr., Co-CEO
Lou Jacobs, Co-CEO
Charlie Jacobs, Co-CEO
Christopher Feeney, executive vice president/CFO
Jim Hauser, executive vice president/COO
Frank Mendecino, executive vice president/CAO
Robert Wilson, group president, Travel Hospitality, Patina Restaurant Group, U.K.
Scott Socha, group president, Parks & Resorts & Australia
Amy Latimer, president, TD Garden
E. Brian Hansberry, president, Gaming
Jamie Obletz, president, Sportservice
Christopher Harter, president, Patina Restaurant Group

For more, see separate profile page
 

Bethesda, Md.

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)
2021: $1.541
2020: $0.978
2019: $2.950
2018: $2.822
2017: $3.285

Locations: 200(e)

Segments Served
100%—Travel

Contact Information
6905 Rockledge Dr.
Bethesda, Md. 20817
(866) 467-4672
www.hmshost.com/

TOP EXECUTIVE
Steve Johnson, President & CEO

Recent initiatives
HMSHost operates in more than 120 airports and over 80 travel plazas in North America. In its preliminary fiscal year results report issued in mid-February, Italian parent firm Autogrill posted the above revenue figure, which represents a 66.9% like-for-like increase over 2020 (the company’s fiscal year being calendar years ending Dec. 31), adding that revenue was up 132% at constant exchange rate in December 2021 compared to December 2020 and that 71% of its total store locations were open as of Dec. 31, 2021. It was also helped with new openings at airports in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
 

Charlotte, N.C.

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)
2021: $1.44
2020: $1.250
2019: $1.370
2018: $1.401
2017: $1.200

Contracts: na

Business Mix
91%—Dining Operations
5%—Concessions
3%—Catering
1%—Retail/C-stores

Segments Served
30%—Seniors
23%—K-12 Schools
18%—Corrections
14%—College/University
6%—Hospitals
5%—Museums/Perf. Arts Ctrs.
4%—B&I

Contact Information  
300 S. Tryon St., #400
Charlotte, NC 28202
(704) 424-1071
elior-na.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Olivier Poirot, president/CEO

For more, see separate profile page 
 

Bensalem, Pa.

5-year Revenue Trend (in $billions)
2021: $0.820.6
2020: $0.865
2019: $0.931
2018: $1.035
2017: $0.887

Locations: 1,500

Segments Served
100%—Healthcare

Contact Information
3220 Tillman Drive, Suite #300
Bensalem, Pa. 19020
(800) 363-4274
hcsgcorp.com 

TOP EXECUTIVE
Ted Wahl, president/CEO

Recent initiatives
Healthcare Services Group operates housekeeping, laundry, linen, facility maintenance and dietary service to more than 3,000 healthcare facilities across the country, including nursing homes, retirement complexes, rehabilitation centers and hospitals, and claims to be the largest provider of housekeeping and laundry management services to the long-term care industry in the United States. The company’s Top 50 listing is confined to revenues generated by its dietary services unit, which offers food purchasing, meal preparation and professional dietitian services to about 1,500 of the company’s clients. Total company revenues in 2021 were 1.642 billion, down from the 1.76 billion posted in 2020. The dietary services unit had a 5.1% revenue decline in 2021, as opposed to a 8.3% decline in the housekeeping unit. 
 

Warren, Ohio

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $726
2020: $604
2019: $815
2018: $765

Locations: na

Business Mix
42%—Dining Operations
30%—Retail/C-stores
16%—Vending
5%—Office Coffee
4%—Catering
2%—Concessions
1%—Facilities Services

Segments Served
43%—B&I
26%—Hospitals
20%—College/University
5%—K-12 Schools
2%—Transportation
1%—Corrections
1%—Government Facilities
1%—Arenas/Stadiums
1%—Convention/Conference Ctrs.

Contact Information  
2590 Elm Road NE
Warren, Ohio 44483
(330) 372-6000
avifoodsystems.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Anthony Payiavlas, President/CEO

Recent initiatives
In the early stages of 2021, trend research had indicated throwback foods were being requested, so AVI launched its Throwback Thursdays promotions, with success at many locations. Later in 2021 and early 2022, the company saw an increasing request for convenient, high-quality proteins, hence the rollout of the Snack Right program, which features a variety of different recipes for guests in the portable case.
 

Reston, Va.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $700
2020: $601
2019: $760(e)
2018: $690

Contracts: 270

Business Mix
52%—Dining Operations
35%—Facilities Services
5%—Retail/C-stores
5%—Vending
2%—Catering
1%—Office Coffee

Segments Served
48%—B&I
25%—College/University
12%—Hospitals
8%—Museums/Perf. Arts Ctrs.
3%—Conference/Convention Ctrs.
2%—K-12 Schools
1%—Arenas/Stadiums
1%—Transportation

Contact Information
1741 Business Ctr. Dr., Suite 200
Reston, Va. 20190
(703) 757-5500
thompsonhospitality.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Warren Thompson, President/CEO

Recent initiatives
The largest minority-owned food and facilities management company in the country celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2022. Thompson Hospitality operates dining services colleges, businesses, hospital and other venues, some on its own and some in joint venture with Compass Group, as well as a series of commercial restaurant brands like Austin Grill, Hen Quarter and Matchbox. 
In the past year, Thompson increased its use of technology as a means of enhancing guest safety, with “frictionless” ordering and payment having become the rule rather than the exception in both its retail and contract food service businesses.
Its Facilities Management division has developed and fine-tuned a niche in COVID remediation services for both its college/university and corporate clients as it continued to adapt to the continuing challenges posed by the pandemic. 
Carry-out has become the rule rather than the exception, requiring the company to focus on assuring guests that its food and packaging are safe, will “travel well” and retain a great flavor profile. This has presented some unique opportunities, such as offering one of its commercial restaurant concepts, Willie T’s Seafood Shack, from another, Austin Grill, in a ghost kitchen approach. 
 

Scottsdale, Az.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $483
2020: $460
2019: $448
2018: $350

Contracts: 174

Business Mix
100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served
100%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
9366 E Raintree Dr.
Scottsdale, Az. 85260
(480) 551-6550
sfellc.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Monty Staggs, CEO

Recent initiatives
SFE has worked alongside its client districts to create dining experiences that provide a sense of normalcy and a return to pre-COVID days while still prioritizing food and individual safety. As part of this process, it launched several new food truck concepts, such as The Truck Mobile Grill, and is developing new convenience and coffee shop concepts to be launched in 2022. In addition to new concepts, SFE has partnered with client districts to earn over $3.5 million—over $1 million more than the prior year—in grant funds to purchase new equipment, service supplies and additional fresh fruits and vegetables for students.  
By prioritizing fresh ingredients and preparing meals from scratch, SFE is well positioned to adapt as district needs continue to change. For instance, it has been able to navigate supply chain challenges and still offer appealing meals. 
SFE also continues to modify menus as needed to offer take home, in-classroom and in-café meal options. Despite the variation in service, the company continues to innovate and bring healthy and delicious meals to students wherever they are learning with favorites such as its hand-pressed Angus Beef Burgers and boldly flavored dishes like its Southwest Chicken Subs and Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Fries.
 

Dallas, Pa.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $405.169
2020: $358.464
2019: $441.830
2018: $385.246

Contracts: 402

Business Mix
89%—Dining Operations
7%—Catering
1%—Vending
3%—Other

Segments Served
37%—Hospitals
31%—College/University
20%—K-12 Schools
7%—B&I
5%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
Two Woodland Drive
Dallas, Pa. 18612
(800) 675-2499
metzculinary.com

TOP EXECUTIVES
John C. Metz Sr., executive chairman
Jeff Metz, president/CEO

Recent initiatives
In the past year, Metz launched the next generation of its Chef Fresh program, Chef Fresh Home, designed to address the noticeable increase in grab-and-go sales due to social distancing concerns, longer workdays and the increase in takeout dining by offering fully cooked and ready-to-reheat-and-eat meals that are chef-inspired and freshly prepared. It also has partnered with online order platform Grub Hub on college campuses and expanded its Bravo Express! program into K-12 schools starting this past fall. An extension of its Bravo! Concept, Bravo! Express highlights fresh ingredients and bright flavors but in a more convenient presentation for guests on the go. It is distinct from Bravo! and other Metz retail concepts through its 16 rotating theme menus that offer guests more dining diversity and reduced menu fatigue. 
Another recent concept enhancement is Fired Up, which extends the use of the stone hearth (wood stone/brick) ovens of the Villa Toscana concept to expand offerings without large menu or station overhauls during dinner service. Fired Up features proteins, vegetables and pasta dishes that are quick to prepare while having high customer appeal.
Metz also did a refresh of its Market Street deli concept, incorporating enhancement like new breads, composed salads and pressed sandwiches. 
In addition, Metz has launched a series of LTO promotions such as Staycation, Best Chicken Sandwiches and Savory Soups and last year and earlier this year launched a promotion tied to the Summer and Winter Olympics that offers internationally inspired menus with flavors from around the world.
Metz also recently hired divisional chefs in all segments of its business who are tasked with helping units with training, recipe development, special projects, opportunity accounts and mentoring.

San Antonio, Texas

3-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $400(e)
2020: $403
2019: na
2018: na
2017: $362

Contracts: 200(e)

Segments Served(e)
95%—B&I
5%—Other

Contact Information
1017 Central Parkway North, Ste. 100
San Antonio, Texas 78232
(210) 495-6021
guckenheimer.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Paul Fairhead, CEO

Recent initiatives
Part of the North American unit of Danish multinational contract services conglomerate ISS Global, ISS Guckenheimer operates contract dining services mostly for high-end corporate clients, many of which spent the past year with offices either closed or severely downsized as employees mostly worked from home. Of course, that was also the case for most of 2020, so FM estimates that new operating platforms developed to accommodate pandemic-imposed limitations combined with some modest returns to offices as the year went on allowed the company to at least tread water and perhaps even make a marginal revenue gain.

Meridian, Idaho

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $267
2020: $253
2019: $270
2018: $245

Contracts: 90

Business Mix
100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served(e)
68%—Hospitals
23%—Senior Dining
9%—B&I

Contact Information
700 East Franklin Road
Meridian, Id. 83642
(208) 884-5766
thomascuisine.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Alison Patt, president/CEO

Recent initiatives
Among recent initiatives undertaken by Thomas Cuisine to position itself for anticipated significant growth in the CCRC and corporate dining markets in 2022 are revitalizing its culinary standards and menus across its corporate dining, senior living and healthcare operations; doubling down on its commitment to its REAL Food program; becoming the only foodservice company to partner with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM); enhancing its mobile app and other technology resources; and making some key senior leadership changes. 
Among new concepts introduced recently are Peruvian Mosaic, Birria tacos, a keto baking program that uses Monk fruit sweetener and the rollout of take-home grab-and-go meals such as family size chicken pot pie that are prepped onsite and then cooked at home by the customer. It also held a REAL foods celebration day.
At its eBay location, Thomas Cuisine served a free company-subsidized entrée each meal period for all shifts in appreciation of employees who stayed onsite. The eBay site also features a micro CEX market, a concept developed by Thomas to fill the need for a contactless outlet where an employee could purchase a beverage or prepackaged CEX food made fresh by Thomas Cuisine staff for a meal or a snack. The market is a simple kiosk with barcode management that allows guests to complete the transaction without having staff present.
Also new is Laminated & Dusted, a boutique bakery concept that is centric to house-made laminated doughs for croissants, buns and pastries. It turns out house-made loaf bread to enhance deli selections and craft cookies to enliven afternoons for client employees. At the start the concept will be local to eBay but will be developed further once it begin operations in March 2022.

Lutherville, Md.

Revenue (in $millions)
2021: $250

Contracts: 275

Business Mix
100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served
90%—K-12 Schools
10%—College/University

Contact Information
1402 York Rd.
Lutherville, Md. 21093
(410) 339-3950
www.sagedining.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Paco Rodriguez, president

Recent initiatives
SAGE primarily serves the private school market, operating under fee-based contracts and serving menus designed for each location—nearly 4,500 different menu items in all across its network. It has also invested heavily in technology, with its mobile app offering remote ordering and interfacing with menus, ingredient lists and a comprehensive allergen filter. Students and families can use the app to rate and provide feedback on menu items, get recommendations based on their ordering history and create a custom allergen profile.
 

Islandia, N.Y.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)

2021: $222.325

2020: $208.382

2019: $182.250

2018: $171.790

Contracts: 166

Business Mix

71%—Dining Operations

28%—Other

1%—Catering

Segments Served(e)

71%—K-12 Schools

9%—Senior Dining

20%—Other

Contact Information

1800 Motor Pkwy.

Islandia, N.Y. 11749

(631) 424-2700

whitsons.com

TOP EXECUTIVE

Paul Whitcomb, President/CEO

Recent initiatives

Whitsons has worked hard to develop food service options that keep students nourished and safe under pandemic-regulated conditions and was ready to support client districts as they reopened for the 2021-22 school year with appealing new menu items and serving methods.

With the Seamless Summer Option extended through June 2022, the company has been attracting more students with a series of new promotions that change up the menu, infuse excitement in the program and encourage overall participation. Among them are…

New Pop-Up Shops. Providing an ideal opportunity to showcase emerging and favorite food trends, pop-ups can be set up in a variety of formats to accommodate altered service models and expand points of service while having proven to significantly increase meal participation, even throughout COVID-19. Recent Pop-up concepts include Yard Bird (the original chicken sandwich), Sabrosos Tacos and Wing Shack, with additional concepts slated to be added this spring.

Anytime Promotions. These fun mini promotions are easy to implement, generate lots of excitement among students and can be offered anytime for any grade level. Some of this year’s favorites include Corn Muffin Bowls, Simply Boxed Meals, Overnight Oats, Cereal Scrambles and Apple Rings.

Mobile Menu App. Whitsons’ mobile menu platform brings menu planning, nutrition information, meal ingredients and real-time allergen information to the fingertips of students, parents and school district staff. Districts may also opt to add the meal pre-ordering tool, allowing secondary students the opportunity to customize and pre-order grab-and-go meals and increase the speed of service.

Outdoor Mobile Kiosks. Set up under large tents, mobile kiosks allow students to safely socialize while eating outside, weather permitting. Grab-and-go items are offered, complete with socially distanced lines, tables and seating.

“Tastefully Plated” Grab and Go Meal Options. “Tastefully Plated” grab-and-go meals are chef-prepared, ready-to-serve, individually packaged meals. All meals arrive manufacturer sealed and can be served anywhere in the school to ensure proper social distancing.

In addition to these promotion programs, Whitsons has been putting a focus on communication and community engagement through initiatives such as its expanding Community Impact Team program led by Bill Whitcomb, Jr. as vice president of customer experience, which monitors, measures, communicates and facilitates the implementation of new programs and services designed to bring about increased participation, customer satisfaction and success.

Another program supporting the communications/engagement effort is Café Connections, a new internal messaging system that significantly changes how the company communicates with all of its team members. It replaces traditional internal bulletin boards and posters with a high-impact visual messaging system designed to increase operational efficiencies and team member engagement, allows Whitsons to instantly communicate district-related information, in real-time, to its onsite teams, even reaching those without email access.

This new platform not only enhances the overall team member experience, but seamlessly integrates with the company’s existing systems,transforming plain data into attention-grabbing digital messages that are displayed right in the kitchen to keep teams engaged and aware of what’s happening throughout the company. Café Connections also maintains Whitsons branding and messaging while allowing location-level access, where managers can create personalized messages geared towards their own teams. Unique customizable widgets such as real-time Twitter feeds, news updates, local weather and clocks are part of the platform as well.

New York, N.Y.

Revenue (in $millions)

2021: $220(e)

Contracts: na

Segments Served

100%—Sports/Entertainment

Contact Information

61 Broadway, Suite 2400

New York, N.Y. 10006

(212) 317-3200

www.legends.net

TOP EXECUTIVE

Shervin Mirhashemi, president/CEO

Recent initiatives

Legends started in 2008 as the operator of food & beverage services for its joint owner partners, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees—two of the most lucrative F&B operations in the sports/recreation market—that were both in the process of opening new venues: AT&T Stadium in Dallas and the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Since then, the company has expanded into other areas of managed services that now constitute the bulk of its revenues, which are estimated to exceed $800 million. The figure listed above is FM’s estimate of the company’s food-related operations, which still encompass the Cowboys and Yankees but have expanded to other clients such as the NBA’s Sacramento Kings at their new Golden 1 Center.

Ashburn, Va.

3-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)

2021: $219

2020: $310

2019: $600

2018: $515

Contracts: 35(e)

Segments Served

100%—Transportation

Contact Information

20408 Bashan Drive, Suite 300

Ashburn, Va. 20147

(703) 729-2333

www.foodtravelexperts.com

TOP EXECUTIVE

Michael Svagdis, CEO, North America

Recent initiatives

Revenue for SSP’s North American operations in its 2021 fiscal year decreased by 29.4% compared to 2020, and by 63.6% compared to 2019, according to the company’s preliminary results report. The fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, 2021, saw a sustained improvement in domestic passenger numbers in the United States from early March 2021 onwards, and this trend, which coincided with the country’s successful COVID vaccination rollout, continued throughout the third quarter, when revenue averaged 41% of 2019 levels, and was maintained across the summer, with revenue strengthening to 52% of 2019 levels in the fourth quarter.

Philadelphia

3-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)

2021: $200(e)

2020: na

2019: $445

2018: $408

Contracts: 135

Segments Served(e)

35%—Stadiums/Arenas

20%—Parks/Recreation Ctrs.

15%—Museums/Performance Arts Centers

15%—College/University

10%—Convention/Conference Centers

5%—Casinos

Contact Information

150 Rouse Blvd., 3rd Floor

Philadelphia, Pa. 19112

(267) 951-2250

spectraexperiences.com/food

TOP EXECUTIVE

Kenneth Gaber, president of OVG hospitality services

Recent initiatives

Spectra Food Services & Hospitality was acquired from Comcast Spectacor by venue development firm Oak View Group (OVG) last year and is being integrated into the organization to provide the kinds of hospitality and food/beverage services OVG had been lacking previously. Spectra has a presence in some 330 sports, entertainment and convention venues among its venue management, food service and corporate partnerships, including 135 foodservice operations concentrated primarily in Major League Soccer (MSL), college sports and Major League Baseball spring training venues. This January, OVG named veteran Delaware North executive Kenneth Gaber president of its hospitality division, which includes Spectra operations. Gaber most recently served as vice president of operational excellence and strategic operations for Delaware North’s Sportservice unit, where he had responsibility for all aspects of procurement, staffic, strategic planning and financial operations in the opening of the new Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and UBS Arena on Long Island.

Dripping Springs, Texas

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $196.557
2020: $180.492
2019: $142.690
2018: $129.300

Contracts: 127

Business Mix
94.62%—Dining Operations
4.96%—Vending
0.43%—Retail/C-stores

Segments Served
98%—Hospitals
1%—College/University
1%—Hospitality/Resorts

Contact Information
12495Silver Creek Rd.
Dripping Springs, Texas 78620
(800) 229-2028
hhs1.com

TOP EXECUTIVES
Joe Terry, executive chairman
Bobby Floyd, CEO

Recent initiatives
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, HHS continued developing and initiating new concepts for customers throughout its healthcare, senior living and education divisions, including the implementation of the Global Bowls, FlavorPort, The Great Grilled Cheeserie, and Wok My Way concepts.
Specifically, these new programs have contributed to increased retail sales in healthcare. On the days when FlavorPort or Global Bowls is offered, accounts see an average increase of $2,000 a day in sales, a significant increase considering hospital meals cost $5 to $6.
Global Bowls, which rolled out in February 2021, incorporates authentic flavors in a one-bowl meal representing worldwide cuisines. Each consists of six main components: a base, protein, vegetables, sauce, crunch and garnish, with have recipes ranging from Beef Tandoori and Sesame Rice Bowls to Chickpea Huevos Rancheros.
As part of the Global Bowls menu, HHS partnered with The Humane Society of the United States to establish a plant-based, sustainable menu program called Sustainabowls, which brings more humane and sustainable food options into the facilities where HHS operates while helping raise awareness of the importance of sustainability in our diets and showcasing how flavorful and hearty plant-based dishes can be.
FlavorPort, another major concept rolled out in 2021, allows HHS to transform healthcare retail spaces into engaging environments that offer a street-food-style dining experience through access to unique dishes from all around the world created using fresh, house-made ingredients. FlavorPort docks in cafe spaces complete with branding, signage and uniforms and highlights different cuisines each week under brands like Southwest (a fusion of Mexican and Southwestern U.S. cuisine and tastes), Pizzacana (serving not just pizza but other tasty, handheld twists on Italian classics), Famous Franks (both classic combinations and customizable hot dog options) and FareFest (nostalgic fair and carnival food).
The Great Grilled Cheeserie was designed to bring ease and comfort through a delicious, simple meal that’s filling and easy to eat on the go. Its grilled cheeses range from the classic original to the HHS Signature Grilled Cheese and gourmet options, all accompanied by homemade soups, sauces and condiments.
Wok My Way, originally created for education clients, is a “Chipotle-style” live-action station in which customers can choose from various ingredients to build Asian-inspired dishes and watch as the executive chef cooks the meal in real-time. This concept rollout included branded signage and a unique station setup.
As its education division continues to grow, HHS intends to increase its retail programs in 2022 and anticipates launching its new food truck at a current higher education account in April. The company has also developed customized branding concepts that build on a client’s school and regional identity, such as You Cantina, which reflects the partner school’s motto, and Ruff’s World Tour, named after a customer’s mascot.
In navigating through the COVID-19 crisis, all HHS self-serve options have been converted to action stations or grab-and-go to ensure that foodservice teams can safely deliver food to guests, and the company continues to follow CDC guidelines and local mandates and adhere to strict procedures for maximum safety at all contact points.
With a significant component of its healthcare foodservice being clinical nutrition, HHS has developed the HHS Malnutrition Initiative to help hospitals increase awareness surrounding malnutrition by providing training and support to clinical teams through a three-step process. The program's benefits include decreasing readmission rates and length of stay, increasing reimbursement potential and improving the quality of care.
The HHS corporate registered dietitian team implemented the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) 8-level diet system to further its malnutrition initiative, which included modifying 400 menu items. Company foodservice teams receive continued training on IDDSI to ensure texture modifications adhere to IDDSI requirements through new training guides, toolkits and video demonstrations.
In conjunction with IDDSI, HHs developed Puree with a Passion for patients with dysphagia who require pureed diets. The specially developed menu items are designed to be visually appealing by using piping tools to artfully plate freshly pureed ingredients while also ensuring patients receive proper nutrition.
 

Homestead, Pa.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $195
2020: $130
2019: $240
2018: $225

Contracts: 70

Business Mix
70%—Dining Operations
15%—Retail/C-stores
15%—Catering

Segments Served(e)
85%—College/University
15%—B&I

Contact Information
285 E. Waterfront Drive, Ste 200
Homestead, Pa. 15120
412-461-2000
parkhurstdining.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Jeff Broadhurst, president/CEO  

Recent initiatives
Seeing shifts in guests’ needs as it relates to food access that definitely have been accelerated by the pandemic, Parkhurst Dining in 2020 had developed a suite of Virtual Brands that let guests order online and access food in a safe manner. As these virtual/ghost kitchen concepts continued to rise in popularity with guests, Parkhurst in 2021 expanded the Virtual Brands program, rolling out three new virtual/ghost kitchen retail concepts.
 

Fairfax, Va.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $187
2020: $181
2019: $460
2018: $468

Contracts: na

Segments Served(e)
35%—Government
20%—Senior Dining
20%—Military
10%—Parks/Recreation Centers
10%—Hotel/Resort
5%—B&I

Contact Information
3055 Prosperity Ave.
Fairfax, Va. 22031
(703) 849-9300
guestservices.com   

TOP EXECUTIVE
Gerard Gabrys, CEO

Recent initiatives
As a result of the COVID crisis, Guest Services took great care in curating options that made clients and employees comfortable in their dining environments, expanding its pre-packaged options in many of its units in order to keep up with the demand for goods while decreasing the touchpoints to the customer and expanding its market concepts with its partners to have fresh items like produce as well as packaged goods available to customers.
In addition, Guest Services has installed Paytronix in a non-secure client location to provide online ordering through a mobile-responsive website (for desktops on-site and laptops and mobile devices off-site). The extremely flexible site allows the company to offer services for client consideration and approval, such as online ordering for a designated pick-up window of time at a designated location where each package for pick up is labeled with a receipt identified by a specifically assigned order number and payment may be made by credit or debit card on-line. The site also allows for ingredient modifications and side order identifications, and customers may leave comments about the service on the site.
 

Irwin, Pa.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $172
2020: $147
2019: $186
2018: $167.1

Contracts: 584

Business Mix
98%—Dining
1%—Concessions
1%—Other Non-food Services

Segments Served(e)
89%—K-12 Schools
11%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
580 Wendel Road, Suite 100
Irwin, Pa. 15642
(888) 272-8016
thenutritiongroup.biz

TOP EXECUTIVE
Ed Caswell, CEO  

Recent initiatives
Consistency in food availability and other essentials such as cleaning items (sanitizers and disinfectants) and paper goods (gloves, bags, takeout containers, etc.) presented potential challenges, especially at the initial on-set of school closures in March 2020, for Nutrition Group. It implemented a number of strategies to overcome those challenges including creating standardized menus to ensure a nutritious balance, which gave it the capability to accurately project needs and usage; providing options and tools to assist each district administration in deciding the most advantageous scenario to provide meals to students; remaining in daily communication with vendors and manufacturers to evaluate and adjust as needed to accurately forecast short-term and long-term needs and usage; and leveraging the proximity of the districts it manages and manpower to ensure product and service availability.
In addition, the Nutrition Group leveraged technology across multiple channels to operate effectively and serve customers safely and efficiently during the COVID crisis. Its new marketing director created cross-channel integrated campaigns to provide content for digital and traditional platforms such as dynamic social media, email, web, print and direct marketing, ensuring each district’s community has access to free, nutritious meals.
The company’s Annual Summer Seminar and Professional Development Days, which present relative content for industry updates and training, was conducted company-wide in a virtual format to ensure its food service directors and hourly staff are equipped with the most current information.
It also launched virtual resources for students and parents, including videos that feature reheating and storage instructions for take home meals as well as nutrition education with Nutrition Group’s signature mascots Molly the Cow and Calvin the Calf.
Finally, to acknowledge the efforts of its staff, Nutrition Group created the TNG Cares Program, which recognizes and celebrates extraordinary acts of care and concern, including associates who personally delivered meals to students and families that experienced challenges picking up meals from school, others who created handmade cards to accompany take-home meals and those who demonstrated an "all-in, whatever-it-takes" effort to be flexible when schools must close on short notice, or when a hybrid model requires them to package meals for distance and virtual learners while they continue to prepare and serve meals to the students that are at school that day.
 

Great River, N.Y.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $155
2020: $120
2019: $135
2018: $120

Contracts: 100

Business Mix
40%—Catering
24%—Dining Services
1%—Concessions
35%—Other Services

Segments Served
35%—College/University
35%—B&I
30%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
3500 Sunrise Highway, Bldg 100, Suite 100
Great River, N.Y. 11739
(631) 567-8200
lessings.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Michael Lessing, president/COO

Recent initiatives
The biggest change Lessing’s implemented in 2021 was increasing all of its online ordering, takeout and delivery options in many customer accounts. It was a big success and helped increase sales while keeping customers safe and reducing the close contact between customers and dining employees. On the menu front, the focus was on “less is more” as by limiting menus the company was able to provide a consistent quality with less interruptions from supply chain issues. To do this, it chose menu items that were readily available, though back up items were always ready to go and fill in if there were issues.
 

Chesterfield, Mo.

Revenue (in $millions)
2021: $150(e)*
*figure per D&B estimate, Feb. 22, 2022

Contracts: 250(e)

Segments Served(e)
100%—K-12

Contact Information
16401 Swingley Ridge Rd Ste 600
Chesterfield, Mo. 63017
(636) 812-0777
opaafood.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Kevin Short, CEO

Recent initiatives
Founded in 1978 specifically to serve K-12 schools, Opaa! today operates in more than 800 schools in more than 250 public school districts across seven Midwestern states, with the highest concentration being in Missouri and Kansas, according to its website. The company offers its primarily small, rural district client base a comprehensive array of K-12 meal services, including catering and nutrition education in addition to traditional breakfast, lunch and after-school snack offerings.

Troy, Mi.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $145.5
2020: na
2019: $162.5
2018: $134

Contracts: 480

Business Mix(e)
34.5%—Retail/C-stores
28.5%—Vending
16.6%—Catering
12.3%—Dining Operations
3.8%—Office Coffee
4.3%—Other Services

Segments Served(e)
59%—B&I
20%—College/University
13%—Hospitals
1%—K-12 Schools
1%—Corrections
6%—Other

Contact Information
700 Stephenson Hwy
Troy, Mi. 48083
(248) 414-1700
continentalserves.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Mitch Kusiak, senior executive vice president  

Recent initiatives
Throughout 2021, Continental highlighted its collective service approach to maximize its agility and ability to customize offerings to each client. As a major comprehensive dining and beverage services provider in the Great Lakes region, Continental uses its expertise to continue to build flexible programs that evolve with the workplace and deliver wholesome offerings to power productivity 24/7. The company has been making it easier than ever to design tailored solutions for clients, from pairing a centralized dining café with grab-and-go micro-markets or adding a coffee shop experience with hot food options to providing an assortment of snacks with an office coffee and water program.
For flexible and hybrid workplaces, Continental introduced two new offerings that prioritize convenience while delivering hot, chef-crafted meals. One adds café-styled, hot dishes that can be ready in an instant without a full onsite kitchen being necessary, allowing for complete meals in nearly any work environment and evolving what its micro-markets can offer. In addition, Continental has begun rolling out a new, all-in-one food delivery service that offers restaurant-inspired meals with the convenience of in-app ordering, so workplaces don’t have the distraction of delivery drivers constantly dropping in throughout the day.
Continental also has gone to great lengths to ensure that client workplaces are a warm and welcoming space during a challenging time, deploying novel technology solutions with personal touches that offer virtual experiences that brought client teams together while adding all the comforts of home to work:
While the company implemented technological solutions to create safer and more efficient workplaces, it never lost sight of its guests, developing engaging creative pieces for a 360-degree digital experience that continues to be inviting, joyful and the personification of the expert service strives to provide.
To help energize teams and facilitate collaboration, Continental leaned on its catering and events groups to throw one-of-a-kind virtual experiences. From dynamic lunch-and-learns to full-scale corporate events, it brought the same attention as before to its offerings and creative cuisine options to delight clients and boost morale. One result was being recognized with one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, the 2021 CATIE (Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence Award) for Best Catering - Virtual Event.
On the culinary end, the company held in depth conversations with clients about what has changed with their businesses, what their new needs are and what their employees and guests are most excited to have on site. It then used that input to guide the expansion of its offerings with unique now restaurant experiences and crowd-favorite dishes that it served across its dining cafés, micro-markets and delivery channels. It also developed agile solutions to ensure appealing meals were readily accessible—and always stocked—in each work environment, from manufacturing plants and logistics centers to traditional offices and mixed-use spaces. 
To do this, Continental’s culinary team built upon its core principles of fresh, wholesome food, elevated, dynamic offerings and the sourcing of high-quality local ingredients while leveraging sustainable processes in every part of its operations. The result was an increase and diversification in Continental’s packaged food offerings with palate-expanding, restaurant-style meals, complete with side dishes and all made daily in-house with quality ingredients and delivered safely and ready to eat no matter how pressed for time guests get. The new go-to for customers has been Lamb Rogan Josh, seasoned with chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, garlic and ginger, braised until tender with tomatoes and served with yellow rice, cilantro-mint chutney and naan.
Continental also championed its most popular signature concepts and flavor profiles with innovative recipes and twists to continue to give guests fresh takes on the cuisine they love most while offering deeper, more-realized menus with additions like a Chicken Pollo Verde Bowl, served with cilantro lime rice, corn medley and queso blanco.
The company also designed new dishes utilizing sustainable, local ingredients to mitigate its dependence on key ingredients impacted by the year’s supply chain issues. The instant star of the menu as a result has been its fresh Michigander Salad, which incorporates grilled chicken, wheatberries, candied walnuts, roasted Brussels sprouts, dried Michigan cherries, bleu cheese and a creamy Maple dressing.

Minnetonka, Minn.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $142
2020: $136
2019: $148
2018: $141

Contracts: 385

Business Mix
96%—Dining Operations
2%—Catering
1%—Vending
1%—Office Coffee

Segments Served(e)
65%—K-12 Schools
30%—B&I
4%—College/University
1%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
5570 Smetana Drive
Minnetonka, Minn. 55343
(952) 945-0505
taher.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Bruce Taher, president/CEO  

Recent initiatives
Taher has expanded its corporate and commissary production facilities, adding one for a total of four located in four major cities, to prepare and deliver fresh, pre-packaged salads, grab and go items and full entrees. Also, due to the continued presence of COVID, the company has developed a full line of pre-packaged meals for public school clients that can be delivered directly to neighborhoods and even individual homes.

Syracuse, N.Y.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $125.022
2020: $154.218
2019: $188.000
2018: $167.899

Contracts: na

Segments Served(e)
50%—B&I
30%—College/University
15%—K-12
5%—Other

Contact Information
124 Metropolitan Park Drive
Syracuse, N.Y. 13088
(800) 466-9261
www.adc-us.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Martin Wells, CEO

Recent initiatives
ADC/AFV was able to navigate through the pandemic focusing on three major principles…
• Protect—It immediately increased safety measures across the country. With direction from the CDC and WHO it quickly and effectively built a rigid and robust safety guide for its organization to follow.
• Pivot—Next, it took each and every one of its dining concepts and ran it through its safety protocol. If any concept did not meet or exceed the protocol listed, it was modified to ensure that it would. For example, the most successful pivot turned out to be the Greens & Grains grain and salad bar, which was completely converted to Greens & Grains 2 Go, a COVID-safe, fully customizable salad bar.
• Promote—Promoting and, more importantly, communicating with the customer has never proven so important and effective. Not only was it imperative to communicate safety efforts and measures taken to protect customers’ dining experience but ADC found it equally important to continue to innovate, excite and impress. It needed to remind patrons that this was temporary, and one could still enjoy their dining experience dining in ADC eateries. The company wanted to make sure patrons didn’t feel like it was giving up, holding back or taking away what they had come to know and love. As an example, ADC began its “DINE SAFE, DINE WELL, DINE CONFIDENT” campaign in early April 2020 to outline its efforts around safety and promote highly desirable menu items that were hard to come by in street retail, much of which was closed at the time.  

Zeeland, Mi.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $97.176
2020: $97.911
2019: $130
2018: $125

Contracts: 61

Business Mix
82%—Dining Operations
9%—Catering
5%—Vending
4%—Other Non-Food Services

Segments Served
41.79%—B&I
37.31%—College/University
8.96%—Convention/Conference Ctrs.
5.97%—Senior Dining
4.48%—Parks/Recreation Ctrs.
1.49%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
1 Royal Park Dr., Suite #3
Zeeland, Mi. 49464
(616) 748-1700
creativedining.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Jim Eickhoff, president/CEO

Recent initiatives
In 2021, Creative Dining launched its new micro-market branded Creative Grab and Go Market for ready-to-go items such as seasonal salads and sandwiches assembled daily and placed in a refrigerated merchandiser, packaged snacks and quick eats like macaroni and cheese and cans of soup, take ‘n bake items, ice creams, meal kits, frozen gelatos and fresh baked pastries.
Consequently, university students and employees on corporate campuses can enjoy 24/7 cashier-less dining with payroll deduct payment options.
Other initiatives in the past year have included the launch of the Get Real Bowls program, which offers diners whole grains or dark leafy greens customized to their choice of sustainable amounts of either animal protein or a vegetarian offering. These are chef curated hot bowls that consist of minimally processed whole foods and simple, identifiable ingredients.
Creative Dining also added Bubble Team and Mochi to many of its retail environments and they were big hits
Also new is Options, an addition to the company’s The Zone food-allergen-free concept. That offers diners alternatives to meet their dietary preferences, such as for gluten-free breads; almond, soy, and oat milk varieties; and vegan cheese and mayo. 
Creative Dining’s commitment to ensuring everyone has a seat at the table was evidenced by the completion of a company-wide systems assessment in which the company aligned with a professional firm to lead it in asking the right questions and guiding it through a journey of inclusion using employee surveys, focus groups and real system change.

Lombard, Il.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $78
2020: $50
2019: $69
2018: $60.5

Contracts: 102

Business Mix
96%—Dining Operations
3%—Catering
1%—Vending

Segments Served
85%—K-12 Schools
12%—College/University
3%—B&I

Contact Information
2500 S. Highland Ave., Suite 250
Lombard, Il. 60148
(630) 627-7708
questfms.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Mike McTaggart, Owner/CEO

Recent initiatives
Quest continued to adapt its menus and service style to meet the growing demands of students and families throughout the pandemic. From drive-through meal pick-ups to neighborhood distributions, Quest’s newly introduced Questables multi-day meal kits containing lunches and breakfasts led to more than 10.5 million SFSP meals being served through the 2021-22 school year. Throughout the changing service models and the unprecedented supply chain challenges brought about by the pandemic, and through the rollout of the Questables program, Quest stayed true to its food philosophy and animal welfare policies, delivering a scratch-focused program that led to month over month participation increases in nearly every month of the school year. 
Outside of K-12, the company rolled out mobile ordering platforms in its corporate dining and higher education accounts, and also partnered with third party delivery platforms and offered delivery to individual offices and dorm rooms for individuals as needed.
Despite the staffing challenges facing the food service and hospitality industry, Quest was able to fill its 550 job openings across four states in the summer of 2021 to ensure a successful school opening that allowed all stations to be open throughout its locations nearly every day of the fall 2022 semester. At time of opening, the company had filled roughly 500 of these positions, and continues to move the number of openings downward as the year goes on. Its engagement of managers to serve as regional recruiting champions, rollout of an aggressive referral bonus for current employees, new onboarding and orientation program and daily “all hands” focus on filling open positions has allowed Quest to experience impressive success in a difficult labor market.
The company’s focus on recruitment and retention also led to the rollout of a new employee recognition program, allowing managers and leaders throughout the organization to recognize employees living Quest’s core values on the spot. 
Also to be noted is Quest expanding its leadership team this past year, investing in the following new positions: Regional Vice President of Operations, National School Lunch Program Division Vice President and Senior Vice President of Business Development, all considered crucial to supporting the company’s current and future growth initiatives.

Flowood, Ms.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $75
2020: $75
2019: $79
2018: $79

Contracts: 155

Business Mix
90%—Dining Services
10%—Catering

Segments Served
45%—College/University
20%—K-12 Schools
10%—Senior Dining
5%—B&I
5%—Hospitals
15%—Other

Contact Information
1000 Red Fern Place
Flowood, Ms. 39232
(601) 326-8160
mmihotelgroup.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Ronald Cockayne, president

Commerce, Ca.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $72
2020: $52
2019: $44.5
2018: $37.254

Contracts: 330

Business Mix
90%—Vending
5%—Catering
5%—Other Services

Segments Served
90%—K-12 Schools
10%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
5743 Smithway St., Ste. 103
Commerce, Ca. 90040
(877) 375-3246
better4youmeals.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Fernando Castillo, CEO

Recent initiatives
Not much changed with regard to menu concepts and culinary changes during the year 2021 for Better 4 You Meals as the company was still challenged with restrictions due to the COVID pandemic. However, growth continued for the first half of the year as senior nutrition programs were still in high demand for home delivered meals. After almost a year of providing frozen pre-packaged meals, Better4You began to offer fresh sandwich and salad options as well as hot pre-packaged meals in anticipation of congregate centers reopening.
Service in the National School Lunch Program remained shuttered for the first half of the year; however, many schools returned to traditional schedules in August and September. Although the company experienced a surge in sales at that time, it was faced with challenges in supply chain interruptions and maintaining adequate staffing.
Operationally, the primary initiative Better4You introduced in the past year was the effort to get more meals to homebound seniors who were at potential risk of food insecurity due to social restrictions. It saw an increase in demand for senior home delivered meals and quickly expanded its fleet of refrigerated delivery vans. It also continued providing healthy and nutritious food to K-12 charter and private schools with frozen and fresh meals that were still being distributed by drive-thru grab-n-go service models as it had done since the onset of the pandemic.
In summary, the ability to meet the demands placed upon the food service industry throughout the pandemic has allowed Better4You to continue to operate effectively and serve clients safely and efficiently.
 

Manchester, N.H.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)

2021: $62.4

2020: $53

2019: $71

2018: $65

Contracts: 169

Business Mix

100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served

38.4%—K-12 Schools

28.1%—Senior Dining

23.5%—B&I

5%—Private Schools

5%—Corrections

Contact Information

749 E. Industrial Park Dr., Dept. CS

Manchester, N.H. 03109

(877) 375-3246

cafeservices.com

TOP EXECUTIVE

J. Brian Stone, CEO

Recent initiatives

Café Services core menu underwent an extensive expansion in the past year to provide a greater variety of menu selections to offer in its Market Cafes. The company also introduced completely customizable menu items to its online ordering platform.

The Glendale Dining Services unit continues to grow and develop primarily in the senior dining market throughout New England. It has developed Covid based menu concepts based around packaging that allows residents to experience special events and action stations while keeping safe.  It customized menu development as recent disruptions in the supply and availability of proteins, breads and other products continued to be challenging and remaining flexible especially with its cafes and assisted living residents allowed it provide a great experience and avoid disruptions to dining services, which keeps satisfaction levels up.

All day dining also continues to be popular and is normally coupled with Glendale’s Neighborhood dining concept, which services nursing and memory care residents. Neighborhood dining uses all the unique packaging ideas, so service seems as normal as possible and remains safe.

The Fresh Picks Café unit implemented commissary style production and distribution through an innovative integrated meal packaging system that allows it to produce freshly made hot meal options for schools that are logistically challenged and otherwise would not be able to support meal production on their own. Fresh Picks partners with school districts to open their offsite feeding programs to all children and create distribution centers at locations around their communities. It also formed partnerships with local and regional non-profit organizations to expand distribution to serve childcare centers and the homeless population, as well as assist with the distribution of backpacks and food boxes. It also helped many of our school districts successfully implement summer meal programs for the first time.

Also in 2021, Café Services updated its packaging products and specifications to enhance food security and improve the look of prepared food in its Market Cafes. The packaging products were selected not only for their tamper-evident features but also for qualities that preserve the quality of in-house prepared menu items.

Orlando, Fla.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $53.5
2020: $25
2019: $39
2018: $31+

Contracts: 220

Business Mix
100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served
100%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
3217 Corrine Dr.
Orlando, Fla. 32803
(407) 740-7677
slamgmt.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Brian Albertson, CEO

Recent initiatives
SLA’s focus continues to be the ongoing production and delivery of high-quality meal options in multiple delivery settings as it has transitioned from being a school meal program that provides cafeteria service to one that also can accommodate classroom delivery, curbside pick-up service and home delivery. Meanwhile, supply chain challenges require its teams to be innovative and flexible at all times. 

Alpharetta, Ga.

3-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $50(e)
2020: $49.13
2019: $39.1
2018: $56.4

Contracts: na

Business Mix(e)
70%—Dining Operations
30%—Other

Segments Served(e)
70%—Hospitals
30%—Software Systems

Contact Information
11770 Haynes Bridge Rd. #538
Alpharetta, Ga. 30009
(770) 475-6499
fmg.com

TOP EXECUTIVES
T. David Whitten, chairman/president
Craig Boudreaux, Jr., CEO

Fairfield, N.J.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $49.098
2020: $71.741
2019: $91.457
2018: $88.400

Contracts: 92

Business Mix
100%—Dining Operations

Segments Served
100%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
3 Edison Place
Fairfield, N.J. 07004
(973) 882-8070
pomptonian.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Mark Vidovich, president
Recent initiatives
As a result of the COVID emergency, Pomptonian cafeteria staff members converted their kitchens into a whole new feeding type of format. They came to work in the middle of the pandemic, set up the new type of service and did curbside feeding for the needy members of the community, addressing the issues of food insecurity throughout the State of New Jersey. Their efforts were recognized by the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, awarding Pomptonian and its staff members the Business Partner of the Year Award.
As a result of the ongoing pandemic, a vast majority of the schools went to a virtual learning model, so most of the food service work was to produce and package a week’s worth of food at a time that can be distributed at a curbside pickup. Of course, menus needed to be redesigned for this format.
For the very few schools that were in-person, menus were reduced to grab-and-go format, allowing students to grab a quick meal and return to the classroom to eat it, avoiding using the cafeterias as part of the COVID-19 protocols.
 

Mansfield, Ma.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $49
2020: $42
2019: $41
2018: $36.6

Contracts: 73

Business Mix
86%—Dining Operations
6%—Retail/C-stores
4%—Catering
2%—Office Coffee
2%—Vending

Segments Served
70%—B&I
19%—Senior Dining
6%—Hospitals
5%—Independent/Private Schools

Contact Information
905B S. Main St., Suite 203
Mansfield, Ma. 02048
(978) 674-8464
nexdine.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
David Lanci, Co-founder/chairman/CEO

Recent initiatives
As it did in 2020, the COVID pandemic continued to impact NEXDINE clients and customers, their dining service needs and how the company met them in 2021. It approached these challenges as opportunities across all its verticals through initiatives like the expansion of its signature ghost kitchen concepts and pop-up restaurants through the NEXDINE’s STREATS Market brand; the increased adoption of online/mobile ordering, including meal kits for in-home dining, as well as groceries, personal care, and sundry items; the use of contactless payment technology to accommodate ApplePay, GooglePay, SamsungPay, TAP, and debit/credit cards. expanded initiatives with clients and their communities to support their efforts to address the increasing prevalence in food insecurity; and the use of touchless catering services with individually-packaged, self-contained, single service options.
While supply chain issues continue to be a global challenge to which NEXDINE is not immune, the impact on its operations has been less severe than for many due much in part to its commitment to 100% fresh ingredients, which are more readily available than are prepared or convenience products. Also, because it does not mandate corporate-driven procurement initiatives or impose restrictions through GPOs, it has the flexibility to source from local suppliers and purveyors in addition to its broadliner partners.
Also in 2021 NEXDINE launched a strategic partnership with Babylon MicroFarms, introducing an innovative and sustainable sourcing solution that has become an integral part of its senior living, healthcare, corporate dining and education sectors. In addition to being a healthy, sustainable, and cost-effective initiative, the micro-farms serve as a platform to further engage and educate customers.
In addition to concerns over the health and safety of residents, patients and employees during the ongoing pandemic, staffing shortages have forced even a greater burden on the senior living and healthcare sectors, but by utilizing its sophisticated technology solutions, NEXDINE has been able to relieve much of the burden from clients as it relates to dining services. For instance, bedside/ tableside tablet order-taking means nursing no longer has to be involved in the meal service to residents and patients and can better focus on their care. 24/7 self-checkout and frictionless payment options mean retail operations can remain open at all times while NEXDINE’s concierge services enable families who may not be able to visit their loved ones to send them care packages, treats, flowers and gifts.
The past year also saw the launch of Chai Dining by NEXDINE, the company’s full-service lifestyle brand for kosher dining that is more than just about serving kosher foods as it also celebrates the rich traditions and values of Jewish culture. NEXDINE says it is the only dining services management company to offer a truly authentic kosher dining experience for its guests.

Los Altos, Ca.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $47.9
2020: $46.5
2019: $62.5
2018: $58

Contracts: 65

Business Mix
95%—Dining Operations
3.5%—Catering
1%—Office Coffee
0.5%—Vending

Segments Served
38%—K-12 Schools
30%—College/University
28%—B&I
3%—Government Facilities
1%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
111 Main St., Suite 3
Los Altos, Ca. 94022
(415) 895-2800
epicurean-group.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Mary Clark Bartlett, CEO

Recent initiatives
Because of the pandemic, Epicurean had to change how it does food service, so it started providing flexible dining options such as upscale TakeAway, Espresso and Concierge services after the pandemic hit. As a Certified Green Business, Epicurean has focused on compostable to-go containers and minimum food waste and on always serving healthy, organic, seasonal food in all accounts, and throughout the pandemic, it has turned even more toward superfoods and building antibodies. Even in the midst of the pandemic, the company is sticking with its values signified by the Certified Green Business designation, forging ahead with composting; minimizing food waste and its carbon footprint; focusing on healthy, seasonal food; and building relationships with local growers, farmers, and producers. 
Epicurean has also increased its focus on food education. In 2021, it started a health and food blog, and led many “Learn at Lunch” events designed to promote the benefits of healthy food and emphasize the importance of choosing organic, seasonal superfoods to boost the immune system and to help build antibodies.
 

Pensacola, Fla.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $46.551
2020: $47.762
2019: $46.977
2018: $40.892

Contracts: 19

Business Mix
98%—Dining Operations
2%—Facilities Services

Segments Served
78%—Military
15%—Senior Dining
7%—Hospitals

Contact Information
2001 North Palafox St
Pensacola, Fla. 32561
(877) 827-2372
gce.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Gary Murphy, senior operations executive

Recent initiatives
Both GCE’s military and healthcare/eldercare accounts have faced many challenges in the way clients, patients and team members have been served this past year. With COVID, serving times were expanded on the military accounts to allow for social distancing in the dining facilities while  menus required a significant number of adjustments due to a large number of not-in-stock items and difficulties with finding fresh produce. Through trial and error, GCE strove to find suitable frozen vegetable products and sourced a small amount of locally grown produce items. It also changed to more individually wrapped/grab and go items as all self-serve salad/food bars were shut down 
In the face of the challenges, GCE placed a huge emphasis on team member reward and recognition, instituting new recognition programs that distribute ‘coins’ for living the GCE Values and spot awards to team members and added free meals as an added benefit. 
Also in 2021, the company sold the three Dairy Queen franchises it had owned. While stores increased sales during 2020 while operating only drive thru windows, staffing shortages and difficulty maintaining those sales levels when restrictions were loosened proved to be impossible.

Columbia, Mo.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $44
2020: $42
2019: $47
2018: $40.8

Contracts: 52

Business Mix
92%—Dining Operations
5%—Catering
2%—Retail/C-stores
1%—Vending

Segments Served
80%—College/University
9%—Senior Dining
9%—K-12 Schools
2%—B&I

Contact Information
3220 Vandiver Dr.
Columbia, Mo. 65202
(573) 445-4321
freshideasfood.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Dennis Owens, president

Recent initiatives
Technology has continued to play an important role in meeting the needs of Fresh Ideas clients over the past few years, with the Text for Food platform being enhanced to serve as a contactless method for guests to conveniently order personalized menu items in all-you-care-to-eat venues, as well as for use with for pick-up and curbside orders. The platform has allowed for more options and variety for quarantine, athletic and pick-up meals outside of the standard sack lunch concept.  
The Fresh Ideas Pick Up Pod has provided team members a safe, convenient way to deliver food to guests and has also been used for after hour meal delivery, delivery to remote areas of campus, package pickup, food insecurity and a fun way to hand out prizes during finals week and throughout the year. To increase engagement, Fresh Ideas surprised guests with extra treats with their orders.  
In another high-tech-related initiative, the company is piloting a variety of different robot solutions for food delivery, on demand food purchases to give guests more dining options and also in use for cleaning, cooking and other tasks to assist with labor shortages. 
Fresh Ideas has also enhanced culinary options that are pick-up, take-out and delivery friendly including made to order customized items, Fresh & Go items and Market items.
It created Team Fresh to engage and educate K-12 students on eating well, staying safe and maintaining healthy habits, and the concept and activities have increased participation in the dining program.  
In conjunction with the Fresh Ideas Mindful Fork concept, the company has announced a commitment to one plant-based menu item for every animal-based item on its menus by 2025.  This not only meets the desires of guests but provides healthy, delicious food while being good for the earth. 
In addition, new dining concepts for board and retail dining operations were also rolled out over the past year. 
 

Atlanta

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $43
2020: $40.5
2019: $55
2018: $52

Contracts: 24

Business Mix
82%—Dining Operations
10%—Catering
2%—Office Coffee
1%—Vending
5%—Other Services

Segments Served
80%—B&I
15%—Events/Catering/Restaurants/Bars
5%—Museums/Perf. Arts Ctrs.

Contact Information
4470 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Suite 465
Atlanta, Ga. 30338
(678) 395-7066
sterlingculinarymanagement.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
John C. Metz, Jr., CEO

Recent initiatives
For the most part, Sterling was able to regain much of its sales against pre-COVID from a run rate perspective for the year; while overall it is still down, it also sees trends looking very promising for 2022. In 2021, Sterling launched ghost kitchens, increased its commissary purchasing and production and expanded its online platforms for food ordering, pick-up and delivery to supplement its pandemic-induced declining sales while also enhancing its catering platform to drive revenues, increase visibility and name recognition, which helped with client acquisition and satisfaction.
The company didn’t really introduce any new concepts or menus over the past year as it was focused on rebuilding and successfully reopening many of its cafes, coffee bars and operations, strengthening its belief that is is going to come out of this stronger on the other side.  It did lose two pieces of businesses, but added five that will open at some point in 2022. 
Sterling also reinvented its business & client model as well as improved and enhanced its sales and business development initiatives to go after new sales and business opportunities both in the COVID and post-COVID worlds.
 

Bolton, Ma.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $42
2020: $40.5
2019: $62
2018: $61

Contracts: 87

Business Mix
64%—Dining Operations
27%—Catering
5%—Vending
4%—Office Coffee

Segments Served
79%—B&I
8%—College/University
4%—Government Facilities
3%—Transportation
2%—K-12 Schools
2%—Hospitals
2%—Parks/Recreation Ctrs.

Contact Information
580 Main St., Suite 1
Bolton, Ma. 01740
(860) 930-5520
epicureanfeast.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Bob Watson, CEO/Co-chair

Recent initiatives
In the past year, LPM developed cloud-based operational tools and programs that are utilized by its operations team both onsite and remotely, enhanced its training program modules to support both in-person and remote training processes, promoted and championed outdoor catered events throughout the year even through the cold weather holidays and introduced its Fast-n-Fresh meals-to-go program, which includes a delivery component.
The company also enhanced its Grab-n-Go program and offerings, including tamper-free packaging, and implemented cashless and touchless POS Systems and unstaffed micro market operations. Also enhanced were the café and catering pre-order programs to ensure adherence to client and federal COVID protocols, part of a company-wide initiative that implemented and enhanced proprietary COVID-19 protocols above and beyond what is being recommended by the CDC, protocols that remain in place.

Birmingham, Al.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $40(e)
2020: $48
2019: $97
2018: $95

Contracts: na

Segments Served(e)
44%—B&I
30%—Government Facilities
10%—Military
8%—K-12 Schools
4%—Senior Dining
2%—Parks/Rec. Ctrs.
2%—Convention/Conference Ctrs.

Contact Information
431 Office Park Dr., 1st Floor
Birmingham, Al. 35223
(770) 475-6499
southernfoodservice.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Walter E. Berry, president

Dakota Dunes, S.D.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $33.824
2020: $27.591
2019: $27.450
2018: $25

Contracts: 54

Business Mix
98.4%—Dining Operations
1.6%—Catering

Segments Served
100%—K-12 Schools

Contact Information
391 W. Steamboat Dr.
Dakota Dunes, S.D. 57049
(605) 235-0939
lunchtimesolutions.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Mike Cranny, CEO

Recent initiatives
School year 2021 brought many hurdles with supply chain disruptions, and Lunchtime worked aggressively both before the school year began and afterwards with its main grocery supplier to source products so that students can continue to have their favorite choices. The partnership has yielded supply monitoring systems, automated substitute item tracking lists and essential daily communications to make sure all customers have the deliverables they are accustomed to receiving, and Lunchtime says this has proven effective even in a climate in which many manufacturers and suppliers are cutting product production, deliveries and customers.    
To better position itself for these changing times, Lunchtime rolled out a complete rebrand that showcases its culture, values and mission of inspiring healthy food choices while delivering exceptional customer experiences. The rebrand includes an updated, upbeat logo and tagline; an award-winning updated website; educational signage for school serving lines; and new uniforms for employees. 
Exclusively contracting in K-12 schools affords Lunchtime the opportunity to focus on customizing, designing and procuring menu items and ingredients to add programs and concepts to further children’s learning experiences, while satisfying their appetites. Anticipating that staffing would more than likely be an issue this year and that food and driver shortages and other supply chain issues were going to make any menu or promotion difficult, Lunchtime didn’t want to create something that was so out of the ordinary that it would be tough to source ingredients and cause more labor challenges and it also wanted to make sure that items it was promoting could be offered at any grade level. 
Based on those challenges, Lunchtime’s culinary team went back to the basics in 2021 and created a “five times a year” promotion using items they knew they could source, that would require minimal extra staffing if any and that focused on what every student learns about and continues to learn about as their tastes for food grow and change. For the 2021-22 school year, the Lunchtime Culinary Team created themed menu components to drive participation and get students excited about meal service, mixed with fun education about how one’s senses can enhance a dining experience and ultimately help identify taste preferences. 
 

Westminster, Md.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $33.401
2020: $34.265
2019: $33.8
2018: $31.7

Contracts: 52

Business Mix
97.9%—Dining Operations
2.1%—Retail/C-stores

Segments Served
75.6%—Senior Dining
16.3%—Behavioral Health Facilities/Home Meal Delivery
8.1%—Hospitals

Contact Information
1135 Business Pkwy. S., Suite 10
Westminster, Md. 21157
(844) 274-3663
culinaryservicesgroup.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Rich Valway, President/CEO

Recent initiatives
In 2021, CSG piloted Servi, a robotic food server from vendor Bear Robotics, at The Homestead an independent living community in Baltimore, with the goal being to learn if robotic food servers could help with staffing challenges by effectively reducing staffing patterns without sacrificing residential engagement. The company found that the robots are extremely effective as food “runners,” and using them to complete repetitive, time-consuming tasks could potentially replace some of the work currently being done by diet aides. It also found that the robots allowed it to keep staff on the dining room floor, increasing their time spent engaging with residents, and sees the potential for food service robots to also be used in skilled nursing settings to deliver “call-downs” and snack and beverage passes to nursing stations.
The past year also saw the return of in-person dining at many client communities, though some continued to provide in-room service due to the pandemic. Prior to COVID, CSG used touch screen kiosks to collect resident feedback, but due to the pandemic it returned to paper feedback cards on trays for both in-room and in-person dining to reduce cross-contamination.
For its congregate care communities such as Eating Together Baltimore County, CSG continued to produce and package easily re-heatable frozen meals that could be picked up at drop off locations and through van delivery. Recipients of the meals receive five days of frozen meals at a time instead of one hot meal daily, which allowed for less contact with vulnerable people and also accommodated a shortage in delivery volunteers due to the pandemic.
Some clients such as Food Service Director Ricardo Mugnani at Highlands Medical Center were able to reopen dining areas with some additional protocols, though they continued to maintain six-foot social distancing rules by using markers on the floors and walls, and allowing only 10 people in the café at a time. The Highlands hospital café also moved from buffet style serving to pre-packaged salads and sandwiches. Main entrees continued to be served fresh but were portioned and placed in to-go containers by staff. Because the to-go containers were a paper product, the menu was adjusted to include items like lasagna, meatloaf and other products that hold up and maintain heat longer in that kind of packaging.
In January of 2021, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics announced that starting in October of that year, the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) would be the only texture-modified diet recognized by the Academy’s Nutrition Care Manual. This meant that senior living communities that were currently using the National Dysphagia Diet would need to make changes to their dysphagia dining program. CSG was able to support its clients through the shift to IDDSI by allowing them to continue to define their own textures based on input from their speech-language pathologist and matching that classification to the IDDSI framework through its MealSuite menu planning software, which enabled the community to have as little disruption as possible to day-to-day operations while ensuring the texture compliance and safety.
Also in 2021, CSG restructured its operational key leadership to provide a better support system to its field operations team and ensure it is prepared to open new business across its operating footprint. As part of this initiative, the company promoted Carol DeHaven to regional director of operations in the North and hired Stacey Bedingfield, a seasoned healthcare food service professional, as regional director of operations in the South. Underneath these two new regional directors is a network of five area managers, three of which are internal promotions. CSG has also identified emerging leaders who are moving into area aupport leads to help it open new business quickly and efficiently.
Finally, Food Service Director Antoine Jefferson developed a program in partnership with the CSG client at Healing Springs Ranch to serve addiction recovery communities. Every Friday Jefferson hosts cooking classes at Healing Springs that focus on cooking basics such as soups and sauces, for which attendees receive the recipes to take home with them when they leave, giving them the skills they need to focus on healthy eating as part of their recovery when they leave treatment. Clients can also enjoy working in the main Healing Springs herb garden where they grow the tomatoes, peppers and herbs that are used in their daily meals. The eclectic, engaging menus include world cuisines like Korean and Japanese foods as well as wild game such as venison, duck and quail. Of course, being in Texas, home-style Southern cooking can also be found on the menu and because the ranch often has vegetarian and vegan clientele, they also focus on making as many options as possible from scratch and not relying on premade vegetarian options—for instance the kitchen makes fresh, from-scratch black bean patties.

Houston

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $33
2020: $27
2019: $39
2018: $37

Contracts: 33

Business Mix
83%—Dining Operations
15%—Catering
1%—Office Coffee
1%—Vending

Segments Served
90%—Hospitals
5%—K-12 Schools
3%—B&I
2%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
13111 Northwest Freeway, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77040
(713) 817-7508
lubyscs.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Todd Coutee, COO

Recent initiatives
Luby’s Culinary Services unit continued to be on the sales block at FM Top 50 press time as part of parent Luby’s Inc.’s liquidation plan announced in November 2020, with final liquidation scheduled for June 30, 2022, at which time it would be transferred to a liquidating entity if not sold by then. Meanwhile, the unit continues to operate successfully, posting a year-on-year revenue increase of 22.2% even as it also dealt with COVID, which had forced it to be very aware of patient, resident and guest safety and wellbeing and as social distancing became a bigger part of daily lives. 
To that end, the company aimed to ensure that it still offered a quality product that was delivered rather than served in dining venues at its senior living communities. It researched packaging and made changes to those vessels that retained the integrity of the meal while its culinary teams tested items for hold time in to-go packaging. Luby’s then developed menus around those products it found had a better chance of replicating the experience in its dining rooms as it began delivering meals to residents’ rooms. 
The team also developed a delivery system for time and temperature components, finding that it could deliver a quality experience to rooms in blocks of ten every 12 minutes. Its team then built a schedule to deliver to each resident within a 48-minute window during each meal period, which allowed the food to be plated, packaged and delivered all within 12 minutes.  
Luby’s knew ite would be on a ‘stage’ regarding modeling safe practices for its clients, so its IT team developed a Microsoft application that linked to its active employee data base. Then, at each shift, unit leadership takes each team member’s temperature and asks questions based upon company COVID protocols, and a Power BI dashboard then shows, by location, leadership and hourly team members temperature and results to questions. 
At any given time, Luby’s can share those dashboards with its clients to verify it is taking daily measures for the safety of its team as well as the everyone else at the location. The company also put into place new hand washing standards, mask requirements and a more frequent sanitizing structure so that every 30 minutes, common use elements that are touched by any guests are sanitized, including tables, chairs, tray rails and doors.

Blue Bell, Pa.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $27.5
2020: $28.1
2019: $35.3
2018: $28

Contracts: 98

Business Mix
95%—Dining Operations
5%—Other Services

Segments Served
48%—K-12 Schools
35%—Hospitals
10%—Corrections
5%—Grocery Delivery to Group Homes
3%—Senior Dining

Contact Information
10 Sentry Pkwy., Suite 100
Blue Bell, Pa. 19422
(610) 277-9767
lintonsfoodservice.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Christopher Dunton, CEO

Recent initiatives
Lintons first order of business over the past year was to streamline menus to ensure items were available, and then also to make them operationally sound so units with significant labor constraints could execute them. For this, its culinary team developed recipes and concepts that creatively utilized abundant products with multiple applications to offer a variety of options. 
For hybrid educational settings, where only a portion of students were onsite, Lintons created an NSLP compliant frozen lunch program assembled and distributed locally, which gave schools the ability to nourish students during remote instruction. For fully virtual settings, the company served a shelf stable menu with food safety in mind through individually wrapped products to limit touch points and work within uncertain staffing levels. 
Lintons also launched Lintons Market, its new fully renovated and upgraded e-commerce grocery purchasing website, that is complete with easy-to-use features to enhance the client shopping experience. Before grocery stores were delivering to homes, Lintons was already filling this need for its clients. For the past 15 years, group homes and residential locations have placed web orders that have been fulfilled and delivered from the Linwood, Pa. warehouse, and Lintons Market represents a significant milestone in the continued growth of the company. 
Also in 2021, Lintons took on the challenge of introducing its Core Values to all associates in a virtual kickoff presentation and through Core Value signage placed in its units. It expanded on the values through new hiring orientation and in-service training, incorporated it into its review process and is producing a video for new hires and potential associates. 
The coronavirus pandemic revealed much about the nature of work defined as “essential services” and Lintons’ attention was focused on its staff performing those services and on the conditions under which they work, implementing a compensation plan for the company’s dedicated mission critical hourly associates and management.
Lintons also enhanced its comprehensive, strategic associate recognition program to express its appreciation and gratitude, focusing on a core value recognition award to help emphasize the importance of these values in its daily activities and interactions.
 

Malvern, Pa.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $24.2
2020: $20.5
2019: $38.8
2018: $36.3

Contracts: 53

Segments Served
64%—K-12 Schools
36%—B&I

Contact Information
257 Great Valley Pkwy.
Malvern, Pa. 19355
(610) 647-5656
brockco.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Andrew Brock, president/CEO

Recent initiatives
As it approaches its 95th anniversary in 2022, Brock in the past year explored and implemented service models and menu choices adaptable to a shrinking workforce and rising labor costs. It expanded its recipe database for package-friendly meals, enabling greater customer choice and variety as pandemic protocols prevailed. Sous vide product relationships have been established for an expanded program in 2022 and Brock’s popular Heat and Eat program, which provides customers with turnkey take-home meals, was enhanced while development of plant-based programming continues as customer demand increases for meat alternatives.
Much of Brock’s independent school portfolio continued with classroom delivery, online pre-order and various contactless service methods while its recipe database grew under the guidance of its Culinary & Nutrition team augmented by field submissions of customer favorites. In addition, the culinary team established programs related to “clean” protein options.
The company prides itself on creativity and flexibility, two elements in demand as the pandemic lingers on. Allowing chef managers autonomy to maintain an exiting program has been key to client retention and satisfaction over the past two years while technology investments that improve labor efficiency continue to be an enterprise-wide initiative. Brock also continues to adjust cost structures in concert with its clients as they also deal with the pandemic’s impact

Houston

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $24.1
2020: $27.2
2019: $34.1
2018: $36.5

Contracts: 29

Business Mix
82%—Dining Operations
10%—Vending
6%—Catering
2%—Other Services

Segments Served
82%—Hospitals
18%—B&I

Contact Information
1101 S. Wilcrest Dr., Suite 200
Houston, Texas 77099
(281) 568-3131
princefoodsystems.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Charles Prince Sr., president

Recent initiatives
Throughout the pandemic Prince has been adjusting as needed at each location to keep everything moving forward. Due to increased costs and supply chain issues, it has made numerous changes to its healthcare and business menus with more than half changed to use available alternatives, and many menu specs changed to accommodate unavailable ingredients.  Most of the changes occurred before the second quarter of last year and the company reports excellent response from clients and customers about how Prince managers, chefs and corporate staff have worked long hours and left no stone unturned to keep high levels of quality and service in spite of the challenges.
The main expansion in Prince’s offerings has been in pre-packaged meals to go. As some locations that were scheduled to bring back populations have been delayed due to new restrictions brought on by the emerging COVID variants, numbers for in-person sales continue to be lower. During the initial reductions, the company had needed to reduce costs, so it started offering more grab and go and introduced more non-contact options. Now, it has family sized take-home meals and a larger selection of ready meals packaged with nutritional data and ingredients listed on custom labels that customers can order and pay for in advance and have their orders packaged and ready for pickup when they arrive.
 

Lincolnwood, Il.

4-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $10(e)
2020: $6.4
2019: $37
2018: $38

Contracts: 11(e)

Business Mix(e)
50%—Dining Operations
50%—Catering

Segments Served(e)
65%—B&I
20%—College/University
10%—Museums/Perf. Arts Ctrs.
5%—Parks/Recreation Ctrs.

Contact Information
7001 Ridgeway Ave.
Lincolnwood, Il. 94403
(847) 982-2608
Foodforthoughtchicago.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Nancy Sharp, founder/CEO

Recent initiatives
As a company engaged primarily in catering services, FFT took an enormous hit with the COVID pandemic but has survived so far and is looking to work its way back as the economic environment in its Chicago area home market improves.

Farmington Hills, Mi.

3-year Revenue Trend (in $millions)
2021: $5(e)
2020: $4.9
2019: $5.2

Contracts: 16(e)

Business Mix(e)
95%—Dining Operations
5%—Office Coffee

Segments Served(e)
50%—B&I
30%—K-12 Schools
15%—College/University
5%—Transportation

Contact Information
30777 Northwestern Hwy.
Farmington Hills, Mi. 48334
(248) 706-1600
plummarket.com

TOP EXECUTIVE
Matt Jonna, CEO

Plum Market’s main business, generating the bulk of its revenues (not reflected above) is retail grocery, in which it operates five high end markets—four in Michigan and one in Chicago, with locations in Washington DC, Florida and California planned for opening soon. Its onsite operations consist of managing dining services in a dozen locations, including three private/independent schools and nine business locations, along with seven Plum Market Kitchen outlets in “non-traditional” sites like Butler University in Indianapolis, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, the Detroit and Dallas/Ft. Worth airports and the Henry Ford Museum.