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Warren County Board renews Sodexo contract as staff touts new high-school menu pilot and summer meals
Summary
The board approved a one-year renewal with Sodexo for July 2026–June 2027 despite a modest management fee increase; Sodexo and district staff highlighted a new "Crave Experience" high-school menu pilot, breakfast grab-and-go expansion and a summer meals kit program serving children ages 1–18.
The Warren County School Board voted April 22 to renew its food-service management contract with Sodexo of America for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, authorizing the superintendent to sign the agreement and accept administrative nonmaterial changes. The renewal carries an overall contract cost increase of $11,612.93 driven by CPI-indexed adjustments to management and administrative fees.
Nicole Brown, food service general manager for Sodexo, told the board the division has served more than 1 million meals through March and outlined recent and planned changes to improve participation. "We are in the 2025–2026 school year at 84% (daily pickup) and that bumps up to 99% once we factor in our building-base subs," Brown said, and described expanded grab-and-go breakfast stations and a high-school pilot called the Crave Experience featuring scratch-cooked bowls and pita options.
Brown also previewed the district's free summer meals kits, available to any child age 1–18 who visits a designated site. "We give like whole watermelons, pineapples, peppers, potatoes, salad kits," she said, emphasizing an effort to include fresh produce rather than packaged items.
During discussion Dr. Costner and board members addressed the timing of the renewal relative to county budget approval. Staff noted the food-service account carries the revenue to absorb the roughly $11,600 increase, but acknowledged that if county budget actions change revenue assumptions the division could reopen negotiations with Sodexo. A board member asked whether the contract could be made contingent on final budget approval; staff said the contract is funded through the food-service revenue account and, if needed, could be renegotiated rather than immediately soliciting a new RFP.
The motion to approve the renewal passed by voice vote. The board’s action keeps the pilot menu and existing food-service programs in place for the coming school year while the division continues to implement marketing and the grab-and-go breakfast rollout.
The board also received the food-service presentation materials and accepted questions from members; no additional formal actions on menu programming were adopted at the meeting.
