Purdue Partners With Aramark to Manage West Lafayette Retail Dining

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Purdue University and Aramark announced Friday (June 12) that they have entered into a retail dining operator agreement that will enhance dining offerings for Purdue’s West Lafayette campus and community.

The partnership comes after a collaborative Request for Proposals process including input from students, faculty and staff. Aramark serves hundreds of educational institutions, sports teams and businesses around the world.

“Aramark has a wealth of experience and submitted a strong proposal when we issued our RFP last fall,” said Rob Wynkoop, associate vice president for auxiliary services at Purdue. “We were very focused on a retail solution that brought new and real choices to the retail dining experience on the West Lafayette campus. We are excited to partner with them to bring these high-quality dining options to campus. There will be great options for every palate.”

Aramark will operate 35 dining locations on the West Lafayette campus, including 11 locations in Purdue Memorial Union. Dining offerings will include a mix of local, regional and national companies. One of the highlights of this new partnership will be a complete renovation for the ground floor of PMU. The space will be transformed into the Purdue Marketplace, a world-class food hall with a variety of new dining concepts, including Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, co-owned by Purdue alumnus Drew Brees.

Aspects of the new contract will include the following:

• Additional new dining options, including Jersey Mike’s, Panera Bread, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Saladworks and Firehouse Subs.
• New technology to streamline service and wait times.
• Value-driven Retail Dining Memberships with special member benefits.
• Job-training resources and expansive job opportunities for retail dining associates.

Aramark will assume control of retail dining in early July. All Purdue employees affected by this transition have been offered a position with Aramark with a comparable benefits package, an overall increase in compensation, and they will receive a transition bonus.

“Aramark is extremely proud to partner with Purdue,” said Jack Donovan, president of Aramark’s Higher Education division. “We look forward to helping the University with its campus transformation and ultimately, enhancing the living and learning experience and environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

The retail dining operator agreement has a 10-year term with two five-year renewal options. As part of the partnership, Aramark will provide a portion of the funding to complete the renovation of the Purdue Memorial Union ground floor, which was approved by Purdue’s Board of Trustees in April.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. Our 280,000 team members deliver innovative experiences and services in food, facilities management and uniforms to millions of people every day. We strive to create a better world by making a positive impact on people and the planet, including commitments to engage our employees; empower healthy consumers; build local communities; source ethically, inclusively and responsibly; operate efficiently and reduce waste. Aramark is recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Human Rights Campaign (LGBTQ+), DiversityInc, Equal Employment Publications and the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.