The Concessionaire Up There: Sodexo Acquires Centerplate From Olympus For $675M

Sodexo today announced it has acquired Centerplate for $675M from Olympus Partners, resulting in a merger of two long-standing sports concessionaires. Centerplate President & CEO Chris Verros will lead the combined business in the U.S. For Paris-based Sodexo, the deal boosts its sports portfolio beyond the dozens of college venues it already serves in North America. Centerplate’s big-league accounts include AT&T Park, Safeco Field, Lucas Oil Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Hard Rock Stadium. Centerplate client Levi’s Stadium has its concessions and premium catering business out for bid, according to sources. The purchase ends more than eight years of Centerplate ownership under private equity firms. Olympus Partners bought Centerplate in '12 from Kohlberg & Co., which had acquired the vendor in early '09.