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Ovations Food Services - Southwest Florida Business Profile

Tampa-based Ovations Food Services manages food and catering operations at more than 120 venues in the United States and Canada, including Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, the Lakeland Center and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Ken Young, the company’s president and co-founder, got his start in the food service business when he was still a teenager, selling hot dogs at basketball and football games in Philadelphia. Hot dogs sold for 35 cents then, and Young says he could make up to $50 a game on a really good day. Founded in 1997, Ovations’ annual sales total $250 million.