PHILADELPHIA, PA — Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) have announced a multi-year partnership set to begin in early 2026. The agreement will provide patient and retail dining, environmental services, patient transportation, and an integrated call center across UPHS’s seven-hospital network, which includes nearly 4,000 beds.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for Aramark, representing the second-largest contract in the company’s history and its largest in the United States. The Philadelphia-based hospitality and facilities management company will deploy a range of advanced technologies to enhance operations and improve patient experiences.
“We are honored to partner with a world-renowned health system that is such an integral part of what makes the Philadelphia area great,” said Marc Bruno, Aramark’s U.S. Chief Operating Officer. “This opportunity represents the second largest contract in the company’s history, and the largest in the U.S., and we are proud to put our understanding of the sophisticated needs of a complex healthcare system to work in new settings.”
Aramark plans to integrate several proprietary technologies into the partnership, including its AI-driven patient menu platform that personalizes meals based on dietary and medical requirements, and robotic systems to support both food service and environmental operations. The company will also deploy its AIWX platform to optimize staffing and resources, alongside micro markets and mobile ordering tools designed for greater convenience.
UPHS leaders emphasized that the partnership reflects the health system’s broader effort to enhance coordination and improve service quality across its facilities. “Food, environmental, and other supportive services are a core part of the experience patients and their families have in our facilities each day,” said Michele Volpe, Chief Operating Officer of UPHS. “As we reimagine the way we work across our whole system, being able to work with a partner like Aramark is a powerful way to unify and coordinate our work.”
Bart Kaericher, President of Aramark Healthcare+, said the company’s technology and hospitality expertise will help advance UPHS’s goals for efficiency and patient-centered care. “Our hospitality will be paired with our innovative technology platforms to better align with the needs of both inpatient and outpatient operations across UPHS, and to elevate the overall patient experience,” he said.
The partnership brings together two major Philadelphia institutions in a deal expected to influence the future of healthcare operations and patient service delivery across the region.
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