Aramark wins Alabama Department of Corrections food service contract
Aramark Correctional Services LLC has been awarded a statewide partnership with the Alabama Department of Corrections to provide food service and programming across 27 facilities, expanding the company’s use of technology and reentry services in correctional settings.
The division of Aramark will deliver food operations alongside its IN2WORK program, which is designed to help reduce recidivism by teaching culinary, retail and supply chain skills to incarcerated individuals. The Alabama initiative includes 28 internships and 28 scholarships, supported by Aramark’s Workforce Navigator tool that connects program graduates to employment opportunities nationwide.
The partnership also includes equipment upgrades, micro markets for staff and expanded retail options for people in custody. According to Aramark, these additions are intended to improve the quality of life for correctional staff as well as justice-impacted individuals.
As part of the new contract, Aramark will implement its Hospitality IQ technology ecosystem to support compliance, transparency and cost control. The company plans to use proprietary software, augmented by artificial intelligence, for menu planning and inventory management, food safety, and preparation and production analytics. A Meal Verification Program will provide predictive insights to enhance operational management further.
Aramark said the Alabama award demonstrates its ability to quickly mobilize and scale correctional operations, citing previous statewide transitions in Arizona, South Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Missouri. With this contract, the company now serves 16 of the 17 outsourced state departments of corrections, covering 500 correctional accounts and preparing about 300 million inmate meals and 4.8 million staff meals each year.
“With almost 50 years of experience, we take pride in delivering expert nutritional services and transformative programs like IN2WORK,” said Tim Barttrum, president and CEO of Aramark Correctional Services, in a statement. “We understand the needs of the client and are honored to partner with Alabama DOC to help make a meaningful impact.”