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Board renews Aramark food‑service contract amid stable participation and upcoming USDA changes
Summary
The board approved Aramark’s 2026–27 food‑service management renewal (second of up to four renewals) with a requested 3% management‑fee increase (DPI/USDA maximum). Aramark reported stable participation, commodity entitlement, menu innovations and upcoming USDA added‑sugar and sodium limits.
The Brown Deer School Board voted to renew its food‑service management contract with Aramark for the 2026–27 school year, approving administration’s recommendation and the contract motion (vote recorded as 6–0).
Bali Janata, the district manager for Aramark, presented an annual report showing average daily participation of roughly 579 breakfasts (about 35 percent participation) and 895 lunches (about 54 percent participation). Year‑to‑date totals presented included approximately 87,000 breakfasts and 136,000 lunches. Janata said the district received about $69,000 in commodity entitlement for the current year; staff noted that the district absorbed roughly $16,000 in revenue the district did not collect for December lunches that were covered by the district.
Aramark described menu and operational initiatives intended to boost participation and student experience: limited‑time offers (monthly chef features), a second‑chance breakfast cart at the high school, fresh‑produce distribution funded through DOD allocations, improved parent communications via Skyward/Infinite Campus and monthly ParentSquare newsletters, and chef‑led samplings. Janata and Aramark staff emphasized that menu offerings are consistent for all students regardless of eligibility and that the vendor provides education and open‑enrollment support materials for families and employees.
From a compliance and policy perspective Aramark staff described federal and programmatic changes coming over the next year: further added‑sugar and sodium reductions are anticipated for fall 2027 (a 10 percent reduction goal for breakfast added sugars and a 15 percent reduction for lunch), and Aramark said it plans to remove artificial food dyes and most commonly banned additives from the 2026–27 menus as a voluntary step above current USDA rules. Aramark also noted that whole milk became allowable this year but would be stocked only when DPI accommodations are on file.
Administration’s contract amendment notes a 3 percent increase in Aramark’s management administrative fee per meal — the maximum allowed by DPI and USDA rules — and recommended renewal as the second year of up to four possible renewals under the current contract structure. The board moved, seconded and approved the contract renewal during the meeting.
Janata offered to present open‑enrollment guides, virtual meetings and sample menus for board members and staff; she encouraged board members to request samples for future meetings.
