Photo above, left to right: Eduardo Rojas, President, Aramark Latin America; Bernadette Meehan, US Ambassador to Chile; Nicolás Grau, Minister of Economy, Development, and Tourism, Chile; Carl Mittleman, Chief Operating Officer, Aramark International; and Jonathan Opazo, Mayor of Lampa.
A large-scale prepared foods production center in Lampa, Chile, recently opened for operations.
To help celebrate and bring attention to the jobs and economic growth opportunity the facility will bring to the country, leaders from Aramark were joined at an inauguration ceremony by Nicolás Grau, Chile’s Minister of Economy, Development, and Tourism; Jonathan Opazo, Mayor of Lampa; and Bernadette Meehan, U.S. Ambassador to Chile.
“The commercial relationship between the United States and Chile is strong and a fundamental pillar of our collaboration as it drives economic growth and promotes prosperity for both countries,” said Ambassador Meehan. “American companies like Aramark, which are always innovating and operating at the technological forefront, showcase the success of our commercial ties with Chile.”
The plant will create direct employment for more than 150 people and, with the projected increase in production, Aramark Chile estimates that up to 4,000 new jobs will be created in dining services, adding to the company’s current workforce of over 25,000 employees in Chile.
The facility will be able to produce 2,000 meals per hour at full capacity and will serve Aramark Chile clients from Arica to Punta Arenas.
The new production center places innovation at its core, equipped with the most advanced cook-and-chill technology. New food production software focuses on traceability, improving inventory control, and reducing waste, which contributes to efficiency, as well as environmental sustainability.
"Expanding our production capacity while ensuring high quality, food safety, traceability, standardization, and efficiency is great news for Aramark," said Eduardo Rojas, President, Aramark Latin America. "Investing to continue adding value for our clients in Chile also demonstrates the group's confidence in the country."
The new plant involved a $10 million investment and forms part of Aramark's growth plan in Chile through 2027.
In this initial production phase, the plant will prepare a mix of 30 recipes from a repertoire of nearly 200 dishes specially created for this facility and Aramark Chile customers.
