PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Meeting of Families -- Philadelphia 2015 today announced Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), the global provider of award-winning services in food, facilities management and uniforms, headquartered in Philadelphia, as the official food and beverage provider for the visit of Pope Francis in Philadelphia.  Previously announced as the official retail partner for the World Meeting of Families -- Philadelphia in June 2015, Aramark will serve the more than 1 million expected pilgrims, who will gather on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and on Independence Mall in Center City, for the historic events featuring Pope Francis on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. 

Aramark will offer a variety of menu options the weekend of the Papal events, including grilled and grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, fruit and beloved Philadelphia treats. The menu will also include on-the-go, family-friendly WMOF picnic bags and snack boxes. To enhance the local and international food offerings, Aramark is coordinating local food truck vendors as partners for the Papal visit weekend. There will also be a wide-variety of beverage options at stands, but it is important to note that Papal events will not feature any alcoholic beverages for sale.

"The visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia is set to be one of the most extraordinary events ever to be held in Philadelphia, and we are delighted that Aramark will serve as our food and beverage partner," said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families -- Philadelphia 2015.  "With the unprecedented size and scope of this event, we sought a food and beverage service provider who could successfully manage the magnitude of the expected crowds.  Aramark, with its exceptional record of food and beverage service, notably at the Olympics, proved to be the perfect partner for this critical vendor need.  We are very confident in Aramark's ability to deliver an outstanding visitor experience in its role as our official food and beverage partner as well as retail."

"As a proud partner of World Meeting of Families -- Philadelphia 2015 and the Papal Visit, Aramark is excited to play such an integral role in this important global event," said Eric J. Foss, Aramark Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The food and beverage experience Aramark will provide all in attendance will showcase the depth and breadth of our offerings – for local and international visitors – while also reflecting a wide variety of tastes that make Philadelphia such an iconic city for food."

Headquartered in Philadelphia for 54 years, and with decades of food, beverage, retail and hospitality experience, Aramark is uniquely qualified to provide the extensive food and beverage service required for this global event. In addition to serving more than 600 clients across the Philadelphia region, Aramark's food and beverage experiences engage and delight visitors at thousands of locations in a diverse array of venues throughout the United States, including cultural attractions, sporting events, museums and national parks. Above all else, Aramark is committed to delivering experiences that enrich and nourish lives.

Co-sponsored by the Holy See'sPontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society.  The 2015 international gathering will be held in the United States for the first time ever and will welcome Pope Francis to the country for the first time in his Papacy.

For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org.  For more information regarding Aramark and its outstanding lines of professional services around the world, please visit www.aramark.com. For information regarding The Holy See'sPontifical Council for the Family, please visit www.familiam.org/famiglia_eng/00002554_HOME_ENG.html. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families -- Philadelphia on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias -- Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).

About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015).  Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover, and play.  United by a passion to serve, our approximately 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 21 countries around the world every day.  Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

CONTACTS:
Ken Gavin
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
kgavin@archphila.org
215.587.3747 (office)
610.291.0838 (cell)

Meg Kane
Brian Communications
mkane@briancom.com
484.385.2938 (office)
215.704.4745 (cell)

David Freireich
Aramark
Freireich-David@aramark.com
215.238.4078 (office)
917.699.5329 (cell)

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