Working together, the companies hope to positively impact the way food services are delivered and to spark a nutritional revolution across the UK and Ireland, by focusing on innovative culinary developments, staff training and enhancing client wellbeing and productivity through nutrition and food.
As well as this, the new partnership will enable Aramark to introduce social dining experiences and exclusive concepts to its existing client sites; while the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group will expand into Aramark-managed retail and office environments, and develop food concepts exclusive to Aramark.
Speaking at yesterday’s event, which took place at Jamie Oliver’s Benwell House office (North London), the companies said: “The opportunity to introduce high-street branded concepts, such as Jamie Oliver’s Diner and Jamie’s Deli, into Aramark client sites complement the company’s existing proprietary brands and rotational concepts.”
Oliver explained: "This relationship with Aramark would not have been sincere four or five years ago. They are a big organisation, structured in a very different way to us (the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group), but I think we flirted well.
"This is a ten-year, proper grown-up relationship. The real prize for me isn’t just about this endeavour. It’s about the story of the food system – the food does track back to farming. It does track back to joy, to nourishment. I know that’s romantic but I believe it. I believed it then and I believe it now.
"The year and a half flirting we had (with Aramark) has been about ‘can we really do this’ - and we believe we can.
“The proof will be in the pudding of course, but it is about making people more productive and happier through eating more delicious food that is through choice and good sourcing; heart, soul and integrity.
“You won’t see my standards slip on sourcing, farming and the supply chain - that’s all part of it. That’s what Aramark want me to do and that’s what I’m doing.”
Frank Gleeson, president of Aramark Northern Europe, added: “This (partnership) has been a little while in the making but like all good food, it takes a little time, the right ingredients, lots of love and hopefully that’s what we’re going to have here.
"The Aramark vision is to enrich and nourish lives. How we do that is through collaboration with clients, customers and our suppliers. Suppliers are very important to us - having the right ingredient and the right safety around the supply chain.
“Together (with Jamie), we’re going to change things. We’re going to make workplace dining areas better.”