Aramark Opens More Than 100 Pop-Up Grocery Stores for Frontline Healthcare Workers

As the fight against COVID-19 continues, Aramark, the largest US-based food service company, is continuing to assist and support frontline workers by opening on-site ‘pop-up’ grocery stores at healthcare facilities across the country, to serve as a one-stop shop for doctors, nurses and hospital staff to grab necessities on their way home. To date, Aramark has opened more than 100 pop-up stores.

The company is transforming existing retail spaces into grocery stores offering a variety of fresh baked goods, bread, milk, eggs, non-perishable items, paper towels, health and beauty aids and more.

These ‘mini-marts’ stock basic and hard-to-get items that Aramark is able to source through its vast distributor network. By offering a place to shop within their workplace environment, employees are saved from that extra stop before heading home to their loved ones.

“We are thankful for the dedicated frontline healthcare providers, who day-in and day-out treat and care for patients during this pandemic,” said Jeff Gilliam, President of Aramark’s Healthcare division. “Creating these pop-up grocery stores is our way of providing a small convenience for them to procure essential items they need.”

Aramark is reconfiguring its traditional service model with innovative solutions, new service methods and safety protocols including the following adjustments to maximize safety and social distancing:

• Implementing take-home meals (with easy assembly)
• Offering pre-packaged items (grab & go meals and snacks)
• Re-imagining hot bars, salad bars and micromarkets
• Offering produce market box programs

During this time of great need, Aramark is working hard to provide food and resources to employees and communities feeling the impact:

• Aramark partnered with the Debra and Leon Black Family, the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Robin Hood and the American Red Cross to launch “NYC Healthcare Heroes Fund” and provide up to 500,000 packages of food, household and personal care products to NYC hospital staff on the front lines combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, alleviating the burden of having to shop for themselves and their families.
• Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Aramark has safely provided 36 million free meals to students, in nearly 300 school districts across the country and continues to serve one million meals to school children daily.
• In keeping with its 84-year history of answering the call for assistance in times of need, Aramark redeployed its Uniform Services division production lines in order to manufacture essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for the heroes working in hospitals and in other critical roles across the United States and expects to produce millions of masks, scrubs and isolation gowns.
• In the communities Aramark serves, employees have banded together at hospitals, schools and other facilities, providing safe and hygienic meals, uniforms, refreshments and facility services. To date, Aramark has donated more than 175,000 pounds of food and PPE to local organizations.
• Aramark has mobilized its emergency relief and large scale event expertise to aid temporary field hospital operations in various cities.

For more information on Aramark’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here.