Caterer Sodexo Weighs Acquisition of US Rival Aramark, Bloomberg News Reports By Reuters

(Reuters) – French food company Sodexo (EPA: ) is considering a possible purchase of U.S. rival Aramark, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.

Sodexo has been in occasional discussions about a deal with food and service management provider Aramark in recent months, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

However, there is no guarantee that negotiations will lead to an agreement and, in any case, a potential agreement could face antitrust scrutiny. Sodexo will also need to secure financing for such a large acquisition, the report said.

Philadelphia-headquartered Aramark, which provides services in 15 countries, has a market capitalization of more than $9.8 billion, according to LSEG data.

Aramark declined to comment on the report. Sodexo did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment late on Wednesday.

Sodexo, which catered for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics this summer and launched its voucher business Pluxee in early February, is still raising prices to cushion the impact of inflation, albeit at a slower pace.