HMSHost Corp. is teaming up with Atlanta Public Schools’ Cascade Elementary and Celebrity Chef Marvin Woods to participate in the Chefs Move To Schools initiative, part of first lady Michelle Obama’s nationwide Let’s Move campaign.
Obama’s campaign aims to solve the issue of childhood obesity and encourages American children to eat more healthily, understand how food choices contribute to a healthy lifestyle and be more physically active.
HMSHost’s partnership with Cascade Elementary is the company’s flagship program. The first garden project will be a fruit and vegetable garden on the school grounds. Woods, an Atlanta-area restaurant, with students and HMSHost Atlanta-area employees, prepared the soil and planted tomatoes, strawberries, beans, lettuce and other vegetables March 25 at the school.
“We’re so glad that Chef Woods is joining our students as we enthusiastically plant this garden and celebrate both the spring growing season as well as the opportunity for our children to continue learning that growing food is an exciting and rewarding experience,” says Alfonso Jessie Jr., principal of Cascade Elementary.
“Just as gardens take several seasons and special care to grow and flourish, our partnership with Cascade Elementary and APS is just beginning, and will continue to grow over the coming seasons and years,” says Tim Slaney, general manager for HMSHost’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) operations.
“We’re delighted that HMSHost Atlanta is the first airport location to launch this program,” he continues. “It has been a pleasure to work with Cascade Elementary to plant their first – as well as our first – garden.”
The garden’s growing season culminates in June with a harvesting “Field Day” for the students, followed by interactive cooking classes taught by Woods using the ingredients harvested from the school’s garden.
In other HMSHost news…
Autogrill Group, parent company of HMSHost, has extended its contract with Starbucks Corp. to open and operate Starbucks locations in travel channels.
The contract, which was renewed two years in advance, retains Autogrill’s exclusive rights to manage the Starbucks points of sale in U.S. airports and highways until 2020. The agreement is expected to have the company open 120 Starbucks locations under its license in the next 10 years.
“The Starbucks Autogrill relationship is based on a shared spirit of creativity and innovation which year after year has allowed us to create value for our customers and landlords, through the quality of the products and the power of a world leading brand,” says Autogrill CEO Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos. “Now that we have begun another ten years together in North America, we will be able to explore new mutually beneficial growth opportunities.”
“For nearly 20 years, Starbucks and Autogrill have successfully brought the Starbucks Experience to millions of travelers who are looking for an exceptional cup of coffee,” says Cliff Burrows, president of Starbucks Coffee Co. U.S. on behalf of Starbucks Corp. “We are very excited to extend our relationship with Autogrill for another 10 years.”
