Food Production, Culinary & Menu Development
Innovative Dining Solutions (IDS)
IDS is ARAMARK's corporate innovation center that develops exciting, well-balanced menus and engaging, student-inspired programs that drive participation and create positive environments where students can refuel and connect with friends. The IDS team encompasses experts in strategy, culinary, design and merchandising development.
Our culinary professionals specialize in translating customer insights and brand strategies into on-trend, innovative recipes and flexible menu offerings that can be tailored to our diverse student customer base. This team addresses menu, recipes, operational training tools and ongoing program refresh and enhancements.
Our food production and menu expert's team has responsibility for product evaluation, recipe innovation, and menu development. This team works in concert with supply chain management, culinary development, and marketing. In addition to supporting health awareness, the team provides thought leadership on regulatory compliance and food safety issues. Ensuring integrity of the tools used for nutrition analysis is another key goal. The ARAMARK Education K-12 division has over twenty registered and licensed dieticians.
Customer Research
Our customer research team works to better understand the needs, attitudes and behaviors, and preferences of our student and faculty customers as the basis for innovative product and service development. Team members experience ranges from leading packaged goods companies such as Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble to market research companies. Annual "ViewPOINT" surveys are distributed to K-12 customers so that we may continue to bring innovation and creativity through our processes, recipes, promotions, etc.
Facility and Technical Experts
Our facilities and technical team has hundreds of years of collective experience in:
Energy management, building commissioning, operational engineering, capital program management, technical consulting, mechanical systems, utility analysis and planning, and HVAC systems and controls in a variety of complex environments and institutions. The technical expertise brought to the table comes from more than 125 architects, engineers, and construction professionals. Our facilities experts focus on operating standards, program delivery, systems development, employee training, technical support, environmental services, and innovation.
Senior Management Team
ARAMARK Education is led by a senior management team of diverse and seasoned professionals, who bring together a range of leadership experience with Fortune 100 companies such as Kraft-General Foods, Quaker Oats, Pepsico, Time Warner, and Walt Disney.