ARAMARK Launches New Dining Environment for Elementary Schools

Students at Fern Hill Elementary School in West Chester, Pa. are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables served in their Cool*Caf(TM), a new dining environment from food service provider ARAMARK that is encouraging students to make healthier food choices at school. Many school districts have already seen a 50 percent increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, a 30 percent increase in speed of service and a 10-30 percent increase in meal participation, a key factor for schools seeking to increase federal funding for their food service program. (Photo: Business Wire)

PHILADELPHIA-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ARAMARK Education, a leader in providing food and nutrition services at more than 4,000 schools nationwide, has launched Cool*Caf?, a new elementary school dining environment created as a result of comprehensive research with more than 2,500 students, parents, and teachers across the country. The new concept, which features nutritious menus, faster service lines and a fruit and vegetable bar, will be introduced at 60 elementary schools this month and several hundred schools in Fall 2009.

Cool*Caf was piloted at 16 schools in Fall 2008, with some showing a 50 percent increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, a 30 percent increase in speed of service and a 10-30 percent increase in meal participation, a key factor for schools seeking to increase federal funding for their food service program.

“Working with students, parents and teachers, we have created a dining environment that truly reflects the needs and preferences of the entire school community,” said Cathy Schlosberg, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Development, ARAMARK Education. “Parents and teachers appreciate the wellness menus and nutrition education, while students are thrilled with the fun café makeover, the menu variety, and the increased time to eat and socialize with friends.”

Cool*Caf incorporates ARAMARK’s newly-designed wellness menus that exceed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and state-level nutrition guidelines by providing low and non-fat dairy options, lean protein choices, access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, increased fiber from whole grain products, and reduced sodium.

As part of the concept research, ARAMARK determined that on average, elementary students are only allotted 23 minutes for lunch. Since limited lunch periods and long lines negatively impact meal participation, the company redesigned service lines, creating express options for students who are looking to purchase milk or access the fruit and vegetable bar. In addition, Sack Lunches, featuring hot and cold food items, are offered for students on the go.

ARAMARK also found that parents desire an environment that teaches students to make healthy choices while elementary students overwhelmingly want a social dining experience.

Cool*Caf energizes the dining environment using bright colors, animation and student-inspired themes and messaging that promote good health. Newly-elected elementary nutrition mascots, ACE and his friends, Marcus, Ana, Zack and Lucy, will campaign for healthy eating through a monthly program consisting of live shows, posters, and other materials distributed to students that communicate the importance of nutrition, exercise and getting plenty of sleep. ARAMARK Education’s current nutrition mascot, Spike, will partner with the incumbent for this school year and then will graduate in June 2009.

Cool*Caf is another example of ARAMARK’s ongoing commitment to health and wellness which includes promoting and expanding the availability of breakfast; offering healthy, nutrient-dense snacks; eliminating added trans fats; reducing the use of processed foods, added fats, sugar and salt; sourcing high quality, local produce and products; and advancing employee knowledge of nutrition and health principles.

ARAMARK has provided balanced nutrition programs to school districts for more than 50 years. One of America’s largest employers of registered dietitians, ARAMARK is currently the only professional services provider to become an American Dietetic Association (ADA) Partner. ARAMARK works with the ADA to develop consumer education messages, to elevate awareness of registered dietitians as the nation’s nutrition experts and to make a positive impact on public health.

About ARAMARK Education

ARAMARK Education provides a complete range of food, facility, uniform and other support services to more than 500 K-12 school districts in the U.S. It offers public and private education institutions a family of dining and facility services including: on-site and off-site breakfast and lunch meal programs, after-school snacks, catering, nutrition education, retail design and facilities management services: maintenance, custodial, grounds, energy management, construction management, and building commissioning. For more information on ARAMARK’s K-12 food service programs, please visit www.aramarkschools.com.

About ARAMARK

ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. In FORTUNE magazine's 2008 list of "America's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. ARAMARK also ranked first in its industry in the 2007 FORTUNE 500 survey. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at the company's Web site, www.aramark.com.

ARAMARK

Dave Gargione

215-238-3559

Gargione-david@aramark.com