Aramark, Major League Baseball's Houston Astros announce long-term extension of partnership at Minute Maid Park; under agreement, Aramark will continue management, development of park's concessions, club level, suites, restaurant dining programs

Nevin Barich

HOUSTON , April 14, 2014 (press release) – The Houston Astros and Aramark (ARMK), the team's longtime food and beverage provider, today announced a long term extension of their partnership at Minute Maid Park.

Under terms of the agreement, Aramark will continue the management and development of Minute Maid Park's concessions, club level, suites and restaurant dining programs. Aramark, which also manages Minute Maid Park's facility services, has been partners with the Astros since 1980. Aramark partners with 12 Major League Baseball teams.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with Aramark as we seek to elevate the experience at MMP through innovation and fan participation," said Marcel Braithewaite, Astros senior vice president, business operations. "The collaboration has been tremendous with this year's renovations as well as those planned for the coming seasons, and we are excited to be unveiling those in the months to come. Our mission is always to operate seamlessly with a high standard of quality and service, while including locally-sourced, locally-grown ingredients that represent this great city of Houston."

"We are excited to extend our partnership with the Houston Astros and look forward to continuing to enrich the game day experience with a variety of menu enhancements and service offerings," said Carl Mittleman, President, Aramark Sports and Entertainment. "Minute Maid Park is one of the best experiences in baseball and we share the Astros vision for creating innovative hospitality programs to make it a top destination for baseball fans."

For the 2014 season, the Astros and Aramark unveiled several upgrades to the menu, including a complete remodeling and rebranding of numerous concession stands on the main concourse, as part of a multi-phase food and beverage renovation. Future enhancements will continue to incorporate fan feedback, market research and Aramark's industry-leading insights into the development and design of new menu concepts and dining options throughout Minute Maid Park.

In addition, the Astros and Aramark will explore new and unique ways to showcase Houston's signature cuisine and culinary talent, such as they currently do with Houston's own top chef and restaurateur Bryan Caswell. For the past three seasons, chef Caswell has partnered with Aramark to bring his restaurants' signature menu items to Minute Maid Park, as well as create exclusive dishes and brands for the ballpark.

Last season, premium dining at Minute Maid Park underwent a significant transformation with the creation of the Houston Astros Hospitality Group. Together, the Astros and Aramark launched Houston Astros Hospitality Group, a portfolio of world class food, beverage and service enhancements offered exclusively within Minute Maid Park. Elevating the premium dining and catering experience on game days and for non-game day special events, Houston Astros Hospitality Group features exclusive recipes from local celebrity chef, Bryan Caswell, and service experiences inspired by Houston's premier caterer, Jackson and Company.

About Aramark

Aramark (ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover, and play. United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day. Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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