Aramark Food Lab Survey

This blog post is adapted from the full article published by Aramark’s Newsroom on November 4, 2024.

Aramark and Drexel Food Lab Collaborate 

Aramark has embarked on a new research collaboration with the Drexel Food Lab to better design and implement food service practices that promote healthy, plant-forward eating while reducing carbon emissions. This partnership is a significant step toward Aramark’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

In a new study, Drexel University’s Food Lab, in collaboration with Aramark, has unveiled promising results from their recent menu interventions aimed at reducing carbon emissions. The study, conducted at Drexel’s residential dining halls and consisting of three key interventions (a limited time offer test, a grill test, and an entrée test), yielded intriguing findings that have the potential to deliver  environmental and health benefits.

Overall Key Study Takeaways

The study highlighted that diners were open to selecting plant-based options even when meat-based options are available. There was no significant difference in perceived meal quality, satisfaction, or liking between control and intervention weeks. Notably, the interventions led to a reduction in carbon emissions and had a neutral - positive impact on cost without compromising consumer satisfaction.

This study marks an important step toward understanding how menu interventions can expand choice and effectively reduce carbon emissions while maintaining consumer satisfaction.