Our History
Sodexo was founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon as a small start-up. Discover our journey since then…
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1966: Pierre Bellon laid the foundations for Sodexo by creating a company specializing in providing food services to institutions, businesses, schools and hospitals. The name of the company was then Sodexho, an acronym for “SOciété D'EXploitation HÔtelière”.
1966: Sodexho signed its first major contract with the French Research Institute for Atomic Energy (the CEA). The contract establishes a lasting relationship as, 50 years later, Sodexo is still delivering food services at the CEA’s site in Pierrelatte.
1967: Sodexho landed its first contract in the multiservice market with the CNES in French Guiana, entering the remote site management business.
1971: Sodexho served its first school meals during a year when Sodexho also won contracts in companies and government services.
1971 – 1978: Sodexho launched in new countries with contract wins in Belgium, Italy, and Spain as well as further developments in Africa and the Middle East. A new business (service vouchers) is also launched in Belgium.
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1980 - 1990
1983: Sodexho was listed on the Paris stock exchange.
1985 – 1993: Sodexho established operations in North and South American, Japan, Russia, and South Africa whilst also reinforcing its presence in Continental Europe.
1987: Sodexho acquired the Bateaux Parisiens and officially launches the Sports & Leisure segment (now Sodexo Live!).
1988: For the first time, Sodexho provided food services for all the athletes, staff, and journalists at the Calgary Olympics. Sodexho will go on to deliver services for many future Olympic games including Barcelona and London.
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1990 - 2000
1995: Sodexo became the world’s biggest food company after acquiring Gardner Merchant and Partena.
1996: Sodexho launched Stop Hunger. A program that affirms the company’s commitment towards the fight against hunger.
1996: Sodexho’s service vouchers and cards business expanded into Brazil with the acquisition of Cardapio.
1997: Sodexo became the leader in corporate services in the United States after merging with Marriott International.
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2000 - 2010
2000: Sodexho became the world’s number 1 provider of services to remote sites.
2002: Sodexo joins the New York Stock Exchange, a major step in our international development.
2004: Sodexho was established in Thailand.
2005: Michel Landel became Chief Executive Officer of Sodexho Alliance. In the same year, Sodexho supports the Inco Group in New Caledonia with services for the construction site for Goro Nickel’s mine. More than 95% of employees were hired locally
2006: The ambition to “Become the global expert in quality of life services” was launched.
2008: Sodexho became the #1 provider of services to the German healthcare market, after having doubled our size in the country and concluded the acquisition of VR, the Brazilian leader of vouchers and card services, securing first place in this sector in this country.
In order to give the group a more international scope, and to support its transformation to a global services group, Sodexho becomes Sodexo.
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2010 - Present
2011: Sodexo became the number one on-site services provider in Brazil, Russia, India, and China in the same year as acquiring Lenôtre, one of the greatest names in French cuisine, strengthening Sodexo’s gastronomic expertise in Paris and worldwide.
2013: Sodexo acquired Roth Bros in the United States, MacLellan in India, and Atkins in the UK in the same year as deploying a global technical expertise platform.
2016: Sophie Bellon became Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, succeeding her father, Pierre Bellon, who is now Chairman Emeritus.
2018: The Sodexo Board of Directors named Denis Machuel to succeed Michel Landel as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee.
2020: Sodexo took action to proactively manage the impacts of COVID-19 with a focus on the safety and health of our employees, clients, consumers, and the well-being of the communities we serve.
2021: Sophie Bellon became Interim Chief Executive Officer in addition to Chairwoman of Sodexo’s board of directors.
2022: On January 31 Sodexo’s Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Pierre Bellon, passes away aged 92.
2023: Sodexo demonstrated the success of the 2025 strategic plan with solid results achieved by focusing on food services, boosting the sustainability and innovation in the services we offer to our consumers, redesigned the consumer experience in FM services, simplified its organization, reinforced its attractiveness as an employer and strengthened its financial performance.