Houston Astros and Aramark extend food and beverage partnership at Minute Maid Park

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros and Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), the team's longtime food and beverage provider, today announced a long-term extension of their partnership at Minute Maid Park.

Under terms of the agreement, Aramark will continue the management and development of Minute Maid Park's concessions, club level, suites and restaurant dining programs. Aramark, which also manages Minute Maid Park's facility services, has been partners with the Astros since 1980. Aramark partners with 12 Major League Baseball teams.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with Aramark as we seek to elevate the experience at MMP through innovation and fan participation," said Marcel Braithewaite, Astros Senior Vice President, Business Operations. "The collaboration has been tremendous with this year's renovations as well as those planned for the coming seasons, and we are excited to be unveiling those in the months to come. Our mission is always to operate seamlessly with a high standard of quality and service while including locally-sourced, locally-grown ingredients that represent this great city of Houston."

"We are excited to extend our partnership with the Houston Astros and look forward to continuing to enrich the game day experience with a variety of offerings," said Carl Mittleman, President, Aramark Sports and Entertainment. "Minute Maid Park is one of the best experiences in baseball and we share the Astros vision for creating innovative hospitality programs to make it a top destination for baseball fans."

For the 2014 season, the Astros and Aramark unveiled several upgrades to the menu, including a complete remodeling and rebranding of numerous concession stands on the main concourse, as part of this multi-phase food and beverage renovation. Future enhancements will continue to incorporate fan feedback and market research into the development and design of new menu concepts and dining options throughout Minute Maid Park.

In addition, the Astros and Aramark will explore new and unique ways to showcase Houston's signature cuisine and culinary talent, such as local top chef Bryan Caswell who has partnered with Aramark the past three seasons to bring his signature menu items to Minute Maid Park, as well as create exclusive menus and brands for the ballpark.

Last season, premium dining at Minute Maid Park underwent a significant transformation with the creation of the Houston Astros Hospitality Group. Together, the Astros and Aramark launched Houston Astros Hospitality Group, a portfolio of world class food, beverage and service enhancements offered exclusively within Minute Maid Park. Elevating the premium dining and catering experience on game days and for non-game day special events, Houston Astros Hospitality Group features exclusive recipes from local celebrity chef, Bryan Caswell, and service experiences inspired by Houston's premier caterer, Jackson and Company.