CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Elior North America, the fifth-largest culinary management company in the United States, on Tuesday announced it will combine its three regional leaders in senior nutrition and community meals – Valley, Bateman Community Living and Lindley – to create TRIO Community Meals.
Elior announced the news at the Meals on Wheels Annual Conference, which began Monday. The name TRIO is a nod to the coming together and integration of the three legacy companies.
TRIO Community Meals will build on the more than 100-year history of Valley, Bateman Community Living and Lindley to reduce food insecurity, malnutrition and isolation among older Americans and other underserved populations by providing custom meal solutions to support programs that serve them. Elior’s community meals programs, which include home-delivered, frozen and congregate offerings, serve nearly 2 million meals per week and will continue to do so under the TRIO brand.
Currently:
- Valley is the nation’s market leader in the senior nutrition sector and the largest preparer of meals for Meals on Wheels programs throughout the United States. The company serves more than 250 clients in 20 states across the Southeast, Southwest, Midwest and Western regions of the United States and operates the largest USDA-approved commissary in the United States, producing more than 300,000 frozen meals a week.
- Bateman Community Living provides wholesome and delicious meals prepared by registered dietitians and executive chefs for home delivery, adult nutrition centers and senior-focused centers across the nation.
- Lindley, which serves more than 50 clients and has operated in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions for more than three decades, specializes in Meals on Wheels for seniors and Head Start programs for K-12 students.
TRIO, which will operate nationwide, will continue to support the missions of each individual company’s community meals programs by working to customize health-focused initiatives that optimize menu development, meal preparation and logistics. These tailored plans will help promote independence and overall wellness, provide opportunities for socialization and give seniors and families safe spaces to come together and enjoy nutritious meals.
“At Elior North America, we provide more than just meals to the millions of people we serve every day, and with our community meals programs we’re enhancing lives by providing a sense of community to individuals whose needs are too often overlooked,” said TRIO Managing Director John Kirk. “Streamlining these services under the TRIO brand will allow us to maximize our collective impact in communities most in need.”
He added, “We know we will be stronger together, and I am confident in our ability to positively impact communities across the country.”
About Elior North America
Elior North America enhances people’s lives through culinary innovation and a commitment to providing exemplary service. The family of companies, with more than 20,000 team members, provides foodservice solutions and catering to more than 1,500 client accounts in five industry segments across the continental United States. Elior North America is among the top five contract foodservice companies in the United States. The company is part of the European contract catering firm Elior Group. Learn more at www.elior-na.com.
