France based contract caterer and facilities company Sodexho Alliance has been renamed Sodexo.

The company, which has 342,000 employees around the world and operates at 29,000 sites, has adopted the single Sodexo name across all operations to boost brand recognition amongst its clients.

Sodexo chief executive Michel Landel said a key aim was to communicate the transformation of the business from a contract caterer to a broader service provider.

“This evolution of our brand is a major step in the life of our company, designed to make Sodexo’s brand a reference, enhancing its visibility and its value and helping us grow and progress toward our shared vision to become the premier global outsourcing expert,” he said.

In the UK its move from a traditional caterer to facility management provider was illustrated earlier this month with an £80m deal to provide a range of services to the armed forces in the midlands and Wales.

In the UK Sodexo has signed up as the nutrition partner for the Year of Food and Farming campaign, which runs until July 2008. The initiative aims to educate children about where their food comes from and in support the caterer is running cookery workshops at around 500 primary and preparatory schools across the country. 

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By Chris Druce

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