The Game’s Called ‘Food Service’: 50 Companies to Keep Your Eye On
University food service is big business. In 2008 contractor-managed university food service in the United States amassed $12.91 billion in sales.
Like any business, university food service attracts for-profit companies looking to make a buck out of customers (in this case, students). And like any business, the closer we scrutinize these companies, the easier it is to hold them accountable. With that in mind, here’s a link to an industry publication’s list of the Top 50 Food Service Companies in North America. Not all of these companies do business at universities. But most do.
And as I always say, it’s important to know the players if you’re going to understand the game. This list is a great reference to put your universities’ food service company into context.
The list is top-heavy. Most of the new profit was generated by the top three companies — Compass (Chartwells and Bon Appetit), Aramark and Sodexo. In industry lingo, these companies are known as the Big Three. And ‘Big’ is no exaggeration. These three companies dominate the industry, employing 75% of the contractor managed food service workers in North America.
These companies deserve a wary eye. Don't you think?
Photo by Lisa Hill via Flickr.
