Members’ News
May 2025
Aramark UK partners with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation #
Aramark UK, leading foodservice and hospitality partner, has entered into a 3-year strategic partnership with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK’s food allergy charity, helping to support the organisation’s goal to #MakeAllergyHistory.
Helen Milligan-Smith, President & CEO of Aramark UK, says: “We are delighted to be partnering with Natasha's Allergy Research Foundation. At Aramark, we place the utmost importance on allergen awareness and food safety. We’re committed to supporting this critical cause to contribute to a future where everyone can enjoy meals with confidence and peace of mind.”
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation was founded in 2019 by Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse after their daughter Natasha died aged 15 from a severe allergic reaction to sesame.
Through campaigning, education and research, the charity’s mission is to
#MakeAllergyHistory, in particular food allergy, and improve the lives of the millions of people in the UK with food allergies. The couple have both been awarded OBEs for their work around food allergy.
The Natasha Foundation is the only allergy charity dedicated to medical research. It wants to understand what is causing the dramatic rise in allergic disease - and develop ways to prevent, treat and ultimately eradicate it, creating a world that is safe for everyone.
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, OBE, says: “The unprecedented rise in allergic disease over the last 30 years means there has never been a more important time to understand what is fueling the global allergy epidemic. So many people today are living with a food allergy, including 1 in 13 school children. We are delighted that Aramark UK is joining us in our mission to #MakeAllergyHistory. Its support is funding the important work we are doing to raise awareness of food allergies and carry out new scientific research.”
Compass Group UK & Ireland marks Stop Food Waste Day – engaging with thousands of colleagues, school children and customers #
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The 30th of April 2025 marks Compass’ 9th annual Stop Food Waste Day, which aims to raise awareness around this important issue.
The organisation has activities taking place across the business and client sites. Initiatives include Eurest running a food waste challenge and Foodbuy Group reaching a milestone of over 600-hours, after committing to 1,000 hours of volunteering less than a year ago, with food redistribution partner FareShare. Overall, the partnership with FareShare, which started in 2014, has saved 434 tonnes of good to eat food (the equivalent of 1,033,354 meals).
With 25-30% of the world’s food produced lost or wasted – addressing food waste has never been so important. Compass Group UK & Ireland aims to stop food waste through preventing, recovering and recycling. The company continues to roll out and evolve its digital recording system, which measures waste in up to five categories providing data and insight into the source of waste to help tackle it.
Within the UK & Ireland business, 2025 Stop Food Waste Day activities include:
Chartwells – will host pop ups, assemblies and workshops taking place across the week within schools, universities and colleges to educate and inform young people. Chartwells will be sharing a prerecorded assembly, with the Primary schools it works with, for use this summer term. A Chartwells chef has also developed a ‘Waste Warrior’ recipe book.
CH&CO - has delivered Sustainability Training for Culinary Experts across its brands, which includes a focus on food waste with each participant creating five viable actions to take back to their site and implement. Across the brands, food waste knowledge and action has also been made a requirement for chefs to demonstrate in all culinary competitions.
Compass One including ESS, Healthcare, One Retail and White Oaks – has launched its ‘Future Food’ sustainability engagement programme. Developed specifically for frontline colleagues, it aims to drive the knowledge and skills required to support and drive change. The programme comprises concise, engaging videos delivered by AI-generated avatars combined with real in-unit footage. The first instalment launched with a food waste focus.
ESS – is a finalist for the Food Waste Initiative of the Year at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management which is being announced on 1st May. This is for the partnership with Olio to redistribute good-to-eat surplus food to local communities.
Eurest and 14forty – challenged people to look in their fridge at home and use leftovers as the basis for a healthy meal, sharing ideas and innovations. Alex Ricketts, joint MD of Eurest, did his challenge at an evening of volunteering with charity partner Foodcycle (Alex has now completed 60 hours of volunteering in 12 months). He used food donated at the local Foodcycle event.
Foodbuy Group – making progress towards the team achieving 1,000 volunteering hours with FareShare. 610 hours have been completed.
Levy UK + Ireland – launched a food waste recipe competition on Earth Day (22nd April) about innovative ways to save food from going in the bin. The winner will be announced on Stop Food Waste Day.
Restaurant Associates – organised a Sustainability Conference, where senior chefs showcased inspiring zero-waste recipes. The team held a Stop Food Waste Day celebration at Unity Place in Milton Keynes, where its bakery team transformed leftover croissant trimmings into cruffins, as well as featuring pop-ups from partners like Waste Knot across sites, to champion the use of surplus produce.
Compass Ireland – serving Stop Food Waste Day recipes across the business this week, accompanied by fact sheets and recipe cards within sites. Chefs are delivering cooking demonstrations for customers to watch and try samples, plus an information campaign involving four training sessions for all chefs during the month of April has been running - sharing tips and advice to minimise food waste.
Compass – has hosted food waste focussed suppliers at its head office in Chertsey and served specially created food waste menus for colleagues in its Parklands and Chertsey offices.
Ashleigh Taylor, Head of Environment, Compass Group UK & Ireland commented: “Reducing food waste is a central focus to our business, teams and clients all year round. Saving food brings with it commercial benefits, but it is crucial in creating a more sustainable way of operating. Stop Food Waste Day is a time to highlight the issue of food waste, to share ideas and raise further awareness both internally and externally.”
Nick Male, Executive Chef at Unity Place in Milton Keynes: “We work hard all year round to minimise waste across everything we do – from prep to plate. It’s a constant effort, but it’s one we believe in.
“From our day-to-day preparation to the occasional special dish or reuse initiative, we take a considered approach to food waste across Unity Place. Stop Food Waste Day is a good opportunity to highlight some of those quieter efforts and show how even small amounts of surplus can be put to good use.”
Stop Food Waste Day was launched by Compass Group USA with the aim of raising awareness around reducing food waste.
Compass acknowledged for ongoing support of Armed Forces community at Celebrating Forces Families Awards #
Compass Group UK & Ireland was honoured to win the ‘Business Award’ at the fourth annual Celebrating Forces Families Awards. Held at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London on 25th April, the event is dedicated to the incredible contributions, resilience, and achievements of UK Armed Forces families.
In one of only three categories open to businesses, the Compass team won the Business Award, sponsored by Forces Employment Charity, in recognition of the key initiatives that have been implemented in support of the Armed Forces community.
Last year, Compass had its ‘Gold’ revalidated for the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme – having signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2016 and secured Gold status in 2018. In 2022, the organisation launched its Spouses Policy, with commitments including to:
1. Provide an additional day of paid leave to support pre or post-deployments of three months or longer.
2. Endeavor to redeploy military spouses to an alternative role internally on notification of a spouses posting.
3. Recognise and celebrate military spouses on Compass’ company annual Spouses Day through different events.
Compass expanded its impact last year by launching Spouse & Advocacy roundtable events, sharing best practice with other companies to inspire similar initiatives, fostering a growing movement of cross-sector collaboration. Guided by its Armed Forces Committee, Compass continues to lead in supporting military families.
Angela Lewis, Co-Chair of the Armed Forces Network and ESS Strategic Relationship and Contract Governance Solution Lead said: “To win this award is meaningful for our organisation, but most importantly for all the people who are veterans, spouses or reservists. That’s why it was such an inspirational event, with a real sense of community.
“Support for the Armed Forces has remained a mainstay of our business and we continue to work closely with military communities and charities. We are incredibly proud to have won this award. It’s great recognition for the team of volunteers on our Armed Forces committee, who support alongside their ‘day jobs’.”
Rising labour costs drive up Away From Home inflation in 2025 #
IGD forecasts annual inflation for AFH market to reach 5.2%, surpassing previous estimates
1.Projected Inflation Rate:
2.Sector-Specific Inflation:
3.Impact on Pub Sector:
IGD’s latest economic forecast reveals that annual inflation for the Away From Home (AFH) market is expected to surpass prior estimates for 2025, with an anticipated average of 5.2% for the year, compared to the 4.0% forecasted in June 2024. This significant increase is primarily driven by rising labour costs, which are expected to disproportionately impact service-driven businesses employing a younger, lower-paid workforce, such as those within the AFH market.
According to the latest IGD Economic Viewpoint Report, “How to respond to rising labour costs in 2025”, released on April 29th, retail food prices could climb by 3.4% on average this year, while Away From Home prices may jump 5.2%, as businesses face these rising labour costs. The impact of these costs varies across different sectors of the AFH market, alongside an operator’s ability to pass on costs to the end consumer. Cost-driven sectors such as healthcare and education are expected to experience a more moderate inflation rate of 3.1%. In contrast, full-service restaurants, which are more reliant on labour, are forecasted to face inflation rates as high as 5.8%.
Operators across the AFH market will be grappling with a combination of these escalating labour costs amid reduction of business rate relief, which will drop from 75% to 40% from April onward (capped at £110k and therefore likely to affect smaller businesses more). Additionally, they will need to absorb the rising labour costs and increasing expenses for fuel and raw materials related to the manufacture of their purchased menu ingredients. For businesses with large commercial kitchens, rising energy costs will also have a significant impact.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has estimated a net impact to the pub sector of £650m due to these increased costs, while Greggs, the high street bakery chain, is expecting a £50m incremental cost impact for their business alone*.
Nichola Gallagher, Senior Analyst at IGD says, “Operators in the Away From Home market are facing unprecedented challenges due to rising labour costs and other operational expenses. It is crucial for businesses to adopt a mix of pricing strategies, cost-cutting measures, and operational shifts to stay competitive and maintain profitability in this evolving landscape.”
The price elasticity of the operator’s business model will influence how much they are able to pass on to their customers. A lower value proposition will be able to carry a higher percentage price increase and still be affordable to most consumers. Likewise, the premium end of the market will be most protected as more affluent consumers are likely to continue their eating out habits despite price increases. Mid-market operators will face the most significant challenges, needing to adopt more strategic approaches to manage these rising expenses without alienating their customer base.
IGD anticipates that operators will implement gradual price hikes throughout 2025, in an effort to manage customer price sensitivities and avoid a steep drop in footfall. To minimise the impact on the customer experience, many operators will also look for cost-saving measures, such as reducing head office staff (rather than guest-facing roles), reformulating menu items to enhance margins on dishes, and integrating automation where possible.
Considering these pressures, several operators are reevaluating their growth strategies. Some, like Wells & Co, a Bedford-based brewer and pub company, have already cancelled planned acquisitions in response to the October budget announcements, instead shifting their acquisition focus to other European countries**. Additionally, some pubs are adjusting their operating models by reducing opening hours or outsourcing their kitchen operations. For larger hospitality businesses, diversifying into retail offers a potential pathway for growth. Itsu, the well-known UK-based food-to-go chain, has capitalised on this strategy, now generating around 30% of its sales from its branded food range in retail outlets. This trend is likely to be emulated by other players looking for alternative revenue streams amid rising operational costs.
Want to know more?
Visit IGD to download our latest IGD Economic Viewpoint Report, “How to respond to rising labour costs in 2025”
Coming soon – new market forecast: IGD’s Away From Home five-year market forecast for 2025-2030 will be released on 1st July. Sign up to our Away From Home & Food-to-Go newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out. (https://www.igd.com/research/newsletters)
Sodexo celebrates its people going above and beyond every day #
At a special dinner held at the prestigious Wallace Collection in London, Sodexo UK & Ireland celebrated the amazing dedication to delivering service excellence every day of the winners of its annual Spirit of Sodexo awards.
Chief Operating Officer, Jean Renton and Sodexo Ambassador, broadcaster and Rugby World Cup winner, Matt Dawson, welcomed winners from the 18 award categories and guests to the special dinner developed and served by Heritage Portfolio, part of Sodexo Live! and catering and hospitality partner to the Wallace Collection.
Out of the 18 categories, five were special recognition awards, the winners of these were:
Adele Chapple, a Domestic Housekeeper at North Devon District Hospital received the highest accolade at the awards, Employee of the Year. Adele works at the Hospital’s Fern Cancer Specialist Centre and in addition to her job, Adele also provides valuable support to the centre, its patients and their families. Adele organises many fundraising activities for the centre, bakes cakes for the families using the centre and makes hairpieces for the cancer patients. Adele is an exemplary employee, living Sodexo’s values every day.
Zero Harm Mindset learning & development team. The team received special recognition for the Chief Operating Officer award for excellence for the team’s exceptional capability in the successful delivery of Sodexo’s Zero Harm Mindset training to every manager across the UK and Ireland.
Steve Moran, Regional Chief Information Security Officer was awarded Manager of the Year for his visionary leadership, commitment to mentoring and developing talent within his team.
Team of the Year went to Sodexo’s team at HMP Northumberland. When RAAC was discovered in a number of the buildings at the prison the team pulled together to overcome the issues this presented with limited access to buildings and reduced space. The team demonstrated a can-do attitude, creative thinking and commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone living and working at the prison.
The Lifetime Achievement award went to Mark Cockburn, a cleaner at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. Mark has been working at George Watson’s College for almost 50 years! Over that time, he has inspired multiple generations and is loved and respected by both his Sodexo colleagues and the College community.
Jean Renton, Chief Operating Officer, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Our Spirit of Sodexo awards are one of the highlights of the year where we recognise and celebrate the outstanding work of our colleagues across all of our diverse business areas. The awards are built on our values and bring to life how our colleagues make a difference every day. It is with a great deal of pride that we share the stories of how our colleagues belong, act and thrive in our business. With over 700 nominations these awards are a testament to the dedicated and dynamic talent we have in our business and my congratulations and gratitude extends to our winners and all of those that were nominated.”
Other categories included ‘Excellence in FM and Food Services’; ‘Rising Star’; ‘Growth and Retention’; ‘Positive Impact’; and ‘Nurturing Talent’ with winners spanning many business areas.
Heritage Portfolio is the specialist events and catering company within Sodexo Live! delivering outstanding catering and event services at some of the most prestigious venues across the UK including the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, National Galleries Scotland, V&A Dundee and the prestigious Signet Library in Edinburgh.
For Sodexo its 30,000 plus employees are the beating heart of its business, which is why it invests in rewarding and recognising their achievements through a range of activities and events. The highlight of this programme includes its annual Spirit of Sodexo awards and long service awards where it celebrates colleagues reaching the milestone of 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years’ service.
FEA Conference 2025: Bigger, Bolder, and Better Than Ever #
Ambitious conference promises insight, inspiration AND fun; plus, Early Bird ticket discounts
The Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) has announced that the 2025 Industry Conference will take place at the stunning De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel on 12–13 November.
For 2025 FEA is aiming to make the event even more of a ‘must go’ for the industry. It will feature an ambitious, fresh format driven by the newly formed conference committee, operating under the guidance of the FEA’s marketing and revenue committee, chaired by Kelly Barrell. Taking a strategic approach to this year’s theme and agenda, the committee is working to widen the appeal of the event, aiming to attract not just FEA members but also consultants, light equipment and tableware providers, and professionals working in the operator space.
The Conference’s theme is Business Agility, “It’s a timely focus on how companies can adapt to rising cost pressures, operational challenges, and the ongoing need for efficiency in the face of labour shortages,” says Kelly. “We are designing the content to ensure every attendee leaves with actionable insights and new perspectives.
“We all know how hard the industry works, year-round,” she adds. “The 2025 Conference will give professionals the chance to not only gain valuable business insights, but also to let their hair down and reconnect with industry peers.”
The hotel, in the heart of the Cotswolds, is surrounded by lakes and picturesque countryside. “It’s the perfect setting for an inspiring, energising, and memorable gathering,” says Kelly. “It should deliver an outstanding experience for attendees.”
The 2025 Conference will be supporting the charity Military vs Cancer, with industry and military veteran Nic Banner acting as the event’s charity ambassador. Any companies willing to donate a raffle prize for this very worthwhile cause should contact FEA.
The conference committee is also creating a variety of sponsorship opportunities. “We’re inviting brands who want to get involved with the event’s fun, high-energy networking activities to contact us right away,” says Kelly. “It’s an opportunity to gain outstanding exposure.”
Thanks to early preparation, tickets are already on sale, including ‘Early Bird’ discounts and, with a limited hotel room allocation already secured, early booking is strongly advised. “We’re anticipating a larger turnout than in previous years,” says Kelly, “reflecting the expanded reach and bold ambition of this year’s event.”
There are a variety of ticket options, from conference-day-only to the full two-day package. Two-day Early Bird packages for FEA members start at £749, whist non-member two-night packages start at £1042. Early Bird rate tickets are available until July 31st.
For more information on the venue click here (www.devere.co.uk/cotswold-water-park-hotel).
For tickets for the FEA 2025 Industry Conference click here. (https://feaconference.co.uk/3/book-places).
The Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) is the independent, authoritative voice of the foodservice equipment industry, representing nearly 200 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes. For more information on FEA visit www.fea.org.uk
Franchising, Digital Loyalty, and Premiumisation: Lumina Intelligence Reveals Top Q1 2025 UK Foodservice Trends #
Recent Lumina Intelligence’s Operator Data Index data reveals challenger brands, AI-driven loyalty, and franchise models are reshaping consumer engagement and operator strategy.
Challenger QSR Brands Reshape the Market
American-born Popeyes and Mexican fast casual newcomer Boojum are leading a disruptive wave in the UK’s quick service restaurant (QSR) segment. Popeyes is set to grow turnover by an impressive +56.8%, driven by aggressive expansion and multi-format strategies targeting travel hubs. Meanwhile, Boojum, entering mainland UK just last year, is forecast to lead turnover growth at +66.3%, leveraging value-led positioning and university city rollouts.
“These new entrants are successfully combining bold flavour propositions, rapid rollout strategies and investor backing to challenge legacy players,” said Maggie Davis, Insight Manager at Lumina Intelligence.
Loyalty Evolution Through Strategic Partnerships and Deeper Emotional Engagement: Wagamama & Flight Club
In a UK-first, Wagamama’s ‘Soul Club’ loyalty programme has been directly integrated into Deliveroo, enabling customers to earn and redeem points both in-restaurant and via delivery. Meanwhile, Flight Club is leveraging a data-driven CRM strategy, using AI-powered customer insights to deepen emotional engagement, transforming loyalty from a transactional model to an experience-driven approach.
“Loyalty is no longer a separate journey – it’s omnipresent. These strategies set a new precedent for seamless, rewarding digital engagement,” Davis added.
Franchising Fuels Scalable Growth Across Foodservice
Franchise models are emerging as a key strategy for unlocking low-capex scale and international growth opportunities. Brands including Pret, WatchHouse, and Urban Baristas are leveraging franchising not only as an expansion mechanism, but as a tool to localise offerings, diversify revenue streams, and de-risk growth in volatile trading environments.
As operators respond to economic pressures and evolving consumer demands, Lumina’s insights underline that agility, brand identity and digital innovation are the currencies of future growth.
Grow your exports with the Made in the UK, Sold to the World roadshow #
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FEA’s partners in government organising event to support businesses with export
The Foodservice Equipment Association’s (FEA) strategic partners in the UK Government, the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) will be hosting the latest roadshow in its “Made in the UK, Sold to the World” series at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, focussed on advanced manufacturing, on the 15th of May 2025.
This comes at a time when there are indications where the conditions for UK exports are about to improve considerably. Not only has the UK just signed a historic trade deal with India, guaranteeing that 85% of UK exports will not be tariffed by India, but the UK is also expected to sign a deal with the United States which is expected to secure reductions in tariffs placed on steel and other products. Furthermore, it comes just before an important summit between UK and EU leaders on the 19th of May which is likely to see announcements of improvements to trading terms between the two blocs.
With many FEA members having a significant amount of export business, the roadshow will give attendees expert guidance and support about how to develop their exports, with workshops organised by the UK Export Academy on topics such as how to conduct international market research, how to access new markets, the top trends shaping global trade and much more. There will also be plenty of networking opportunities as well as the chance for one to one meetings with a selection of market experts.
The event aims to help UK SMEs grow international sales.
“The last five years have seen a lot of disruption to trade which has caused uncertainty for FEA members,” says Emma Brooks, chair of FEA. “We welcome the Government’s initiatives like these roadshow events. They give businesses the chance to learn what help is available to them, as well as offering opportunities to develop the relationships between companies that are vital to global trade.”
FEA members interested in attending the event can register at the DBT’s GREAT website here. The http://great.gov.uk site has expert guidance, tools and services to help UK businesses get the most out of their export business.
The Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) is the independent, authoritative voice of the foodservice equipment industry, representing nearly 200 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes. For more information on FEA visit www.fea.org.uk
Sodexo selected as strategic supplier to the NHS under new national SSRM programme #
Sodexo Health & Care has been appointed as one of only 15 strategic suppliers to the NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and wider health organisations, as part of the newly launched National Strategic Supplier Relationship Management (SSRM) programme.
The SSRM programme is a joint initiative between DHSC, the NHSE, and the Cabinet Office. It represents a shift in how the health system engages with its most critical suppliers - moving from traditional procurement approaches to a structured, collaborative model that emphasises relationship-building, long-term value creation, and innovation.
Health organisations undertook a thorough process to identify the suppliers most vital to the delivery of health services. Following an invitation, Sodexo will now participate in this long-term, high-impact programme.
Philip Leigh, CEO of Sodexo Health & Care UK & Ireland, said: “Being selected as a strategic supplier is a proud milestone for Sodexo. We look forward to contributing to the SSRM programme and are keen to see the programme accelerate the innovation and scale that partner organisations like Sodexo can bring to providers—driving efficiency, compliance, and improved outcomes.”
The appointment builds on Sodexo’s long-standing position as a strategic supplier to the Government. It will continue to work separately with its own Cabinet Office Crown Representative.
This development follows a series of recent milestones for Sodexo. In 2024, Sodexo Health & Care secured a place on the Crown Commercial Service’s RM6331 Healthcare Soft Facilities Management Services framework. This national framework streamlines access for all UK public sector bodies to pre-approved suppliers, evaluated on both quality and cost.
Additionally, Sodexo was recently appointed by East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust to deliver food and facilities management services across its Colchester, Ipswich, and community estate.
Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care), added: “Our healthcare system can’t function without its suppliers. They play a critical role in driving innovation, ensuring better value for taxpayers, and putting more money in people’s pockets through long-term growth.”
In November 2024, Sodexo also achieved the highest maturity level in the NHS Evergreen Sustainable Supplier Assessment, which promotes carbon reduction, ethical sourcing, and social value creation in alignment with the NHS’s 2045 net zero target.
Simon Lilley, Director of Strategy at Sodexo Health & Care, said: “We have worked closely with the senior leadership team at the NHS and, of course, NHS Trusts for many years. Therefore, this formal collaboration with the NHS, DHSC, and our peers is a natural extension—collectively fuelling change as we support providers and systems facing unrelenting clinical and financial pressures.”
Sodexo’s inclusion in the SSRM programme signals confidence in the company as a trusted, strategic partner in transforming healthcare delivery across the UK.