Natasha's Law Business Conference 2021 #

Everything Your Business Needs to Prepare

Food information and labelling experts Nutritics, along with partners at the UK Food Labelling Resource, will be hosting a virtual conference specifically for UK food businesses who are preparing for the introduction of Natasha’s Law. The three day event will take place from July 6th to 8th, 2021. It is FREE to attend.

The event features a line of stellar speakers and panellists including Arvind Thandi from the Food Safety Authority, Carla Jones and Leigh George from AllergyUK on the Allergy Aware Scheme, chef and cookery tutor Rozanne Stevens, nutritionist Julia Franks on her experience advising companies such as Brakes in their preparation for Natasha’s Law. Guests will also hear from Stephen Nolan and Clare Stead at Nutritics on the software solutions available to get your business ready for Natasha’s Law plus experts from Peak-Ryzex and The EPOS Bureau on what to consider when choosing printers, POS tills and many more.

The online event will be packed full of workshops, live training sessions, panel discussions and talks from leading experts in Allergen Management and Labelling. Register NOW and we look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a dynamic and informative event.

Elior to provide catering services at LNER Stadium #

Elior UK has been appointed as Lincoln City Football Club’s new catering partner in a five-year deal worth £3.5m.
 
With catering services including matchday hospitality, matchday retail as well as conference and banqueting, Elior will be a fully integrated partner at the LNER Stadium, which ordinarily welcomes over 9,000 spectators every matchday.
 
Elior was awarded the contract after impressing the Club both with its outstanding track record in the stadia market and its innovative approach to food service.
 
As part of its commitment to bringing the very best food and drink offer to the Club, the deal includes significant investment to upgrade the existing kitchens and develop the retail concourse ready for the start of the 2021/22 season.  With safety being at the forefront as spectators return, Elior will also introduce click and collect orders through their digital app and cashless payments across all services.
 
Kenny Finlayson, Managing Director at Elior, said: “We are delighted to be working with Lincoln City FC as their new catering partner at the LNER Stadium. The Club have a clear vision for catering at the stadium, and we are looking forward to working closely with them to deliver it over the coming months and years. From championing local produce to introducing high street inspired offers, our goal is to create fantastic food and beverage experiences for all spectators, guests, and visitors to the stadium".

Liam Scully, Chief Executive at Lincoln City Football Club, said: “We look forward to working with the team at Elior with our joint aims of enhancing the fan experience and full catering offer at LNER stadium”.
 
“To reach this outcome, we undertook a rigorous and highly competitive tender process that included bids from a range of national, regional, and local providers. Elior really stood out, including exemplary testimonials from current partners and a proven track record working with the local supply chain.”
 
Leading the way in sports and stadia contract catering, Elior has won a number of prestigious awards in recent years. These include Stadia of the Year, Sports & Leisure Catering Awards. Elior UK Star Site, Best Specialist Entertainment Venue Awards, Best Bar None, National Champion, Best Bar None.

Sodexo’s Modern Recipe wins Grand Prix and Gold at DBA awards ​ #

Sodexo and design agency Without are celebrating double success at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards this week for Modern Recipe, one of the company’s biggest global brands.  

Modern Recipe was awarded gold and the overall Grand Prix title, the highest accolade at the DBA Effectiveness Awards. 

The awards were established to celebrate and prove how powerful partnerships between clients and designers can be. The global award scheme recognises wide-ranging examples of design across all sectors and disciplines. 

Modern Recipe was launched in 2018 with the objective to create something new, brave and refreshingly different in workplace dining. The challenge was to reframe thinking around the traditional workplace canteen and to create a concept which would appeal to modern professionals. 

The team choose to work with Without because of their consumer understanding and record of creating bold ideas. 

The Modern Recipe brand was developed around a simple proposition: Contemporary food + Creative spaces = Thriving workplaces. This is our Modern Recipe. 

The brand has been a key element in Sodexo’s success in winning new business in target sector, cross-selling to current clients and driving better onsite revenues. 

Modern Recipe remains at the core of Sodexo’s food offer and has recently been reimagined with the addition of digital ordering, to ensure the brand stays relevant as organisations adapt to new hybrid and flexible work models. 
 
Philip Koh, Director of Strategy at Without said,“Sodexo didn’t want us just to design a logo, but to think about the entire experience of the brand - from philosophy, to service style, to interior spaces, to marketing. Together with Sodexo, we showed that strong ideas coupled with design and energy can transform businesses.” 

Adrian Evans, Food Transformation Director for Sodexo Corporate Services added,
“When we first created Modern Recipe it felt very different and really gave us traction in our market. It has been, and remains, a key brand in our portfolio and we’ve seen a consistently great response from clients and consumers.  We’re really proud of this award, which reflects our strong focus on creativity, consumer-focus and commercial acumen – and our ability to combine these to successfully grow our business.” 

You can view a video case study of Modern Recipe here 

Salon Culinaire holds first live competitions of 2021 #

International Salon Culinaire the historic chef competition which forms part of Hotel, Restuarant & Catering (HRC), held two live competitions on 9 June after over a year of virtual events.  

The event, which was hosted by University of West London's Pillars Restaurant, comprised the Tilda Chef Team of the Year competition in the morning, follow by the Compass Group Innovative Plant-Based Starter competition. All chefs in attendance carried out a lateral flow Covid-19 test before the event.  

Nine teams competed in the Tilda Chef Team of the Year competition, which was ultimately won by Executive Chef Wayne Corbett and Hospitality Chef Manager Nicola Harper of 14forty, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, who produced a plant-based Asian inspired menu.  

The competition was judged by Cyrus Todiwala, Chef Patron, Café Spice Namaste; Frank Coughlan, Executive Head Chef, British Airways UK Lounges; Harry Lomas, Head of Culinary, Wembley Stadium and Joanna Witchall, Commercial Foodservice Marketing Manager, Tilda. 

Wayne Corbett commented “It’s incredible to have won. We love Asian cuisine and used it as a base to develop the plant-based menu. All the hard work paid off, we got the timings just right, we knew what we needed to do, and we smashed it! I can’t believe we’re heading to Italy and I’m especially happy to see Nicola win her first live competition!” 

In the afternoon, the Compass Group Innovative Plant-Based Starter competition was won by Saurav Nath, development chef at JKS Restaurants with a dish of spiced cured avocado, crispy kale leaf & purple potato cubes, drizzled with tamarind ketchup, plant-based sweet yoghurt, and chai seed. 

The second competition was judged by Paul Gayler MBE, Chef Consultant, Bespoke Culinary Solutions; Matt Owens, National Chair, Craft Guild of Chefs and Mark Hill MBE, Executive Chef, House of Commons.  

Andrew Pantelli, Project Director for International Salon Culinaire, commented: “It was great to see our chef community back cooking live and, as always, the standard of dishes produced was extremely high.  

“Huge thank to our sponsors, Tilda and Compass Group UK & Ireland, and to all our judges for their time, expertise and support.”  

International Salon Culinaire will return to Hotel, Restaurant & Catering on 21-23 March 2022. 

Yoyo Makes Bank Card-Linked Retail Loyalty a Reality – On and Offline #

Streamlined On and Offline Card-Linked Retail Loyalty System Launched by Yoyo

Loyalty schemes have become big business in retail. Consumers now expect rewards, offers, and bonuses for their custom. But while many retailers now provide a seamless digital loyalty system, most high street stores lag behind. Two-step checkout processes with separate loyalty cards, and a system reliant on the memory of both customers and staff are both time-consuming and tedious.

Yoyo’s bank card-linked loyalty system changes that, customers can now have the one tap payment experience they desire, while still being rewarded while they shop.
Transforming the typically inefficient checkout experience, Yoyo’s retail bank card-linked loyalty product enables customers to link their bank card in-app once, and then automatically earn loyalty at a merchant, every time they pay with the linked card. Immediately elevating customer experience, removing hassle and ensuring that rewards are never missed, while making sure that their in-store experience is as seamless and efficient as online.

How Yoyo works
Yoyo is a global SaaS loyalty and rewards provider, and has partnered with some of Europe’s largest acquirers, such as Adyen and Salt Pay, to lead the charge in launching bank card-linked loyalty. The future of frictionless loyalty and customer engagement lies in the simplicity of this technology, while keeping customer demands at the front and centre.

Through Yoyo’s dashboard and campaign management tools, merchants are able to drive higher transaction values, increase visit frequency and gain a multi-dimensional view of their customers, to nurture long-term loyalty and value creation.
While other brands have previously attempted to address this issue – notably Amazon Go, which eliminates the check-out step entirely by enabling customers to select items and exit the store, being automatically billed thereafter. These solutions require extensive software and hardware investment, and will potentially take years to become a widespread reality. Yoyo is available now and can be implemented effortlessly, without need for expensive hardware or infrastructure disruption.

Bevan Ducasse, CEO of Yoyo, comments: “Having been in the rewards and loyalty sector for the last decade, we believe bank card linked loyalty is one of the most significant breakthroughs of our journey, and will assist us in our mission to help merchants drive sales, while also providing their customers with the world’s most rewarding buying experience. ”

Adyen, a Dutch acquirer with over 303 billion Euros processed volume in 2020, and Salt Pay, an acquirer with an extensive Central European Footprint have already completed integrations with Yoyo and have now piloted bank card-linked loyalty in the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Germany and Iceland.

About Yoyo
Yoyo powers some of the world’s leading retail brands, to engage, retain and attract new customers, and they are integrated to over 200 000 retail lanes across 17 000 stores, and have over 5 million monthly active users.

FEA warns energy-labelling misrepresentation of refrigeration products must end #

Offending suppliers are opening themselves up to serious penalties

FEA is concerned that some foodservice refrigeration suppliers are not complying with regulations covering the Energy Labelling Directive.  While the Directive is EU legislation, it has been adopted by the UK following Brexit.  Professional Refrigerated Storage Cabinets (PRSCs) are in the  scope of the requirements covered by the Directive and where they are advertised or displayed on a website, they must have the energy label shown alongside it.  Showing any pre-2016 (and thus pre-Energy Labelling) product in a way suggesting it is for sale is illegal. 

Under the regulations, manufacturers must design products that meet the requirements for MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standard), and they must provide an energy label showing how the product performs in the standard tests.  The label shows its performance, with the best being rated A and the worst G.  Meanwhile dealers have an obligation to display the product’s energy label.  The regulations stipulate that, where an appliance is offered on the internet, the full label must be accessible and shown with the product wherever displayed.

The government OPSS (Office for Product Safety and Standards) is the market surveillance authority and it has the government responsibility to monitor the market and enforce compliance.  “Any company that displays a relevant pre-2016 product on their website could be considered guilty of misrepresentation and will fall foul of the regulations,” warns Steve Hobbs, chair of FEA.  “They should only be showing products that comply with the 2016 Energy Labelling Directive.” 

The market surveillance authority can demand that manufacturers and importers of PRSCs show them the product’s Declaration of Conformity, its energy label and its specification sheet, along with its technical documentation file. 

“Refrigeration suppliers who have images of non-compliant products on their website or in their showroom or brochures should remove them immediately as this is illegal,” says Hobbs.  “Whether deliberately misleading their customers or not, they are opening themselves up to serious penalties.” 

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 

Greg Mace to Step Down from Rapport – New Managing Director Appointed #

Rapport, the award winning, specialist company, that provides corporate organisations with a range of fully managed front and back of house guest services, has announced the appointment of Dirk Talsma as its new Managing Director. Dirk is taking over from current Managing Director, Greg Mace, who is stepping down at the end of July. 

Commenting on the new appointment Matthew Thomas, Managing Director, RA Group said: “Greg leaves behind a fantastic legacy, having set up and run the business over the past 10 years. He has grown Rapport into the successful front of house and guest services market leading proposition it is now, which has also seen it expand into other countries. Rapport’s people and customer centred focus has received a number of high-profile industry accolades, which is a great testament to the commitment, engagement and hard work of Greg and his team. We wish Greg all the very best for the future.
 
“I am delighted to appoint Dirk Talsma as Managing Director for Rapport moving forward. Dirk is currently Director of Strategy and Business Operations and has been an integral part of the Rapport business for the past five years. He brings great passion and expertise to the role and I have no doubt will continue to deliver the exceptional service to clients and customers that Rapport has become renowned for”.
 
Greg Mace commented: “After ten amazing years, I have decided now is the right time for me to pursue other opportunities. I am hugely proud of Rapport and what we have achieved. The highlight has been working with so many brilliant Rapport Ambassadors, as we have grown the business together from small beginnings to where it is today, with an outstanding client portfolio. With the support of Compass, we have also expanded Rapport into new countries and continents which has been exciting. I know Dirk will do a great job and I will be staying in touch with the business and look forward to seeing its future progression”.
 
Commenting on his appointment Dirk Talsma said: “I am looking forward to leading Rapport, following what has been a really challenging time for our teams and clients. Throughout the pandemic we have focused on our ambassador’s wellbeing and supporting our clients and as lockdown restrictions ease, I am looking forward to welcoming clients and their employees back to their workplaces. Creating meaningful and memorable experiences has never been more important. We are also working on a number of exciting projects that will even further enhance our client proposition, promote our ambassador’s wellbeing and will cement our position as market leader. I feel exceptionally privileged to have been under Greg’s mentorship over the last five years and will continue to build on the legacy that he leaves behind”.
 
Dirk attended one of Europe’s most prestigious hotel schools and went on to graduate from Leeds Metropolitan University with a degree in Hospitality and Business Management and in 2019 completed an Executive MBA programme at The University of Surrey with Distinction. His early career included spells in some of UK’s finest hotels including the Royal Lancaster, London and Sopwell House, Hertfordshire. Dirk then moved into a Regional Manager role for a collection of private Country Estates before joining Rapport as Head of Operations in 2015
 
Recently Rapport has been recognised with second place on the prestigious ‘UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2021’ list and as one of The Caterer magazine’s ‘30 Best Places to work in Hospitality 2021’.

Preparation for Natasha’s Law must deliver compliance, confidence and trust in the out of home market #

CGA Research conducted on behalf of Access Hospitality shows that 87% of consumers with serious food allergies or intolerances will feel more confident in trusting the content of pre-packaged food out of home once Natasha’s Law is in place. 
 
The legislation comes into effect on 1st October and requires that all food prepared and packed on the premises where it is sold or offered must have ingredients labelling with allergens clearly emphasised. It is being introduced following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who suffered a fatal allergic reaction to a pre-packed baguette. 
 
The survey showed that 39% of British consumers have some form of dietary requirement and over one in seven consumers (15%) with serious food allergies or intolerances feel that they can’t trust the food they eat out of home. Nearly two thirds of this group (61%) are likely to purchase “food to go” ‘more’ or ‘much more’ frequently than they did previously once Natasha’s Law is in place, so operating procedures should not only be compliant but communicated clearly to improve confidence and trust and attract this important customer base. 
 
The research was shared in a webinar to help operators understand and implement the adjustments to operating practices that are required. Hosted by Henry Seddon, managing director of Access Hospitality, the webinar also includes clear advice on the details of Natasha’s Law from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), supply chain procedures from BidFood and the role of technology in implementing changes consistently and safely and is now available to watch on demand. 
 
Henry Seddon commented “Although 39% of British consumers have dietary requirements, 88% of people will personally feel the benefits of Natasha’s Law, or know someone who will. It therefore makes good business sense for anyone involved in the production and sale of pre-packaged food to be absolutely clear on their responsibilities and share that certainty with customers.  
 
“Consumers with a serious food allergy or intolerance will spend, on average, £94 a month drinking or eating out, compared to an average monthly spend of £76 by non-allergic or intolerant consumer, highlighting how valuable their custom is to the market. The advice provided by the FSA in the Access Hospitality webinar clarifies exactly what is included in Natasha’s Law, with some practical examples, and we explore how technology can make compliance and communication a seamless process along the supply chain.”    
 
The Access Hospitality webinar – Getting ready for Natasha’s Law – forms part of a wider support hub offering free resources, including a factsheet and guide to preparing for the law, that is available for all out of home operators at https://theaccessgroup.com/allergens.  

Innovative Grazing Boxes from Caterplus provide nutritious offer for dementia residents in care homes #

Following extensive research and a successful trial in care homes last year, Caterplus – the specialist care catering arm of leading contract caterer Elior UK – has rolled out its highly nutritious Grazing Boxes that enable dementia residents to eat what they like, when they like, 24 hours a day.
 
Comprising a four-week grazing menu of highly nutritious savoury and sweet handheld snacks that have been created by Caterplus’s development chefs and dietitian in collaboration with care homes, the Grazing Boxes are prepared with the very best ingredients and can be used either in place of, or in addition to traditional plated meals.
 
Laura Tighe, Managing Director, Caterplus says: “Not only do our Grazing Boxes encourage more regular eating, which prevents ‘sugar rushes’, but the ‘little and often’ approach also stimulates appetite and means residents are not overwhelmed by large portions of plated food that can often lead to food refusal and weight loss.
 
“We were delighted with the positive feedback we received after last year’s trial of the Grazing Boxes. Managers identified that residents were more engaged with food and that their independence had increased as they could eat by themselves and pick up the food from the platter when they wanted. In addition, residents were sleeping better due to the provision of night-time snacks and hot soups.”
 
The Grazing Boxes, which can be adapted to suit the needs of individual care homes, can be presented either as a sharing platter/buffet-style box or separately for individuals who may require specific modifications such as texture or even higher nutritional value as found in the recipes that are specially fortified with ingredients including cream, milk powder, syrups, honey and butter. The Boxes typically contain items such as Mini Quiches, Pork Pies and Wraps, Fortified Soups, Banana Custard, Cheesecake and Flavoured Mousses.
 
Mandy Davies, Head of Dietetics and Nutrition, Elior says: “Our dietitians and chefs have worked hard with care homes to ensure that these new Grazing Boxes not only reflect residents’ medical needs but also support the nutritional needs of residents when they are not able to eat typical meals such as lunch or dinner.
 
“Crucially, the Boxes can provide a 24-hour-a-day food offer, which is beneficial for residents with dementia who may have an altered sleeping pattern, or for those who are very mobile and prefer finger foods so they can eat on the go.”
 

Saddle Do Nicely: Sodexo and Ascot Racecourse to deliver fabulous food at a Covid-safe Royal Ascot #

Royal Ascot racegoers will dine on exquisite menus from Michelin-starred chefs, as well as being able to order and buy refreshments via a new mobile phone app, as the famous five-day festival of horse racing will welcome crowds of up to 12,000 a day as part of the government’s Events Research Programme.

And while that is a fifth of crowd sizes in previous years, it still leaves challenges for the caterers – 1711 by Ascot – a joint venture between Ascot Racecourse and Sodexo’s Sports & Leisure business, as it delivers fine dining and hospitality in both the Royal Enclosure and Queen Anne Enclosure , as well as working with renowned chefs on restaurants at the course, including the Panoramic Restaurant by Raymond Blanc OBE, the Wolferton by Ollie Dabbous , ON 5 by Simon Rogan and the simply-titled Rick Stein Restaurant.

But the leading hospitality firm is innovating to deliver a Covid-safe experience, while ensuring that the world-class food and service people have come to expect remains the same.

There will be a dedicated server for each box, and everything will be brought to the server, with no other staff entering the box.  This theme has been followed through to the restaurants, where a lead waiter will have all the interaction at the table including taking orders, serving food and clearing. Other safety measures include upweighted cleaning, Covid-testing for customers and staff, and training for teams on the new protocols.

Food and drink will also be available for order through the Ascot Food and Drink App, which guests can download to their phone via the apple store or Google Play.

Dishes in the Royal Enclosure include a seafood platter comprised of smoked chalk stream trout, poached Scottish salmon, langoustine and prawn salad; and roasted fillet of beef with truffle whipped potato and bone marrow crumble.

For those who can’t make the event, 1711 by Ascot has created gourmet picnic hampers. These can be ordered and delivered to those who want to bring the Royal Ascot experience to wherever they are celebrating the occasion as Ascot and Sodexo strive to make this year’s event a memorable experience for everyone – even if they can’t go.

Chris Bray, CEO for Sodexo Sport and Leisure, said: “While this year’s Royal Ascot will be different, we will deliver our usual fantastic culinary experiences. A lot of work has gone into creating an experience that is safe, but still enjoyable and memorable. And, as it is one of the first great British summer events this year, it is really important to the industry and one the organisers hope will show confidence in the hospitality industry as it reopens.”

Jonathan Parker, Managing Director of 1711 by Ascot, said; “We are really looking forward to welcoming racegoers back to Royal Ascot and to have such an incredible line-up of world-class chefs this year alongside world-class horse racing marks a very special return for the Royal Meeting. We pride ourselves on providing memorable experiences and those who will enjoy their day in Raymond, Simon, Ollie and Rick’s restaurants can expect sensational food, impeccable service and a sporting occasion like no other.” 

Culinary Ambassador Raymond Blanc OBE, added: “I’m very much looking forward to returning to Royal Ascot tomorrow; serving a delicious lunch and afternoon tea to my guests in the Panoramic Restaurant for a sixth year. My 2021 menu will showcase the best British produce. Welcoming back racegoers and our restaurant guests will be such a wonderful moment, and I can’t wait to bring that special ‘Raymond Blanc’ hospitality and joie de vivre back to the world’s greatest racecourse. Voila”. 

Sodexo is behind other major events this summer providing fantastic culinary experiences such as the Henley Regatta and the Chelsea Flower Show as well as at amazing venues such as Newcastle United, Hampden Park in Glasgow and the iconic Thames river cruise Bateaux London.

Aramark signs five year contract with New City College #

Award winning food-service provider, Aramark UK, has signed a new five-year contract to provide catering services to New City College.

New City College is the largest college in East London and south Essex, spanning nine campuses with over 20,000 students and 2,000 employees. Aramark will provide services to 22 food outlets across multiple sites, investing in a fresh new look and feel at venues, as well as improving speed of service.

Healthy eating for students and faculty will be supported by improving the range of nutritious products at each campus. This includes the installation of salad bars, increased plant-based options, and improved cooking techniques by the Aramark culinary team, led in the UK by Culinary Director, Paul Bloxham. An evolving range of value Meal Deals will also be enhanced to ensure all customers have access to great value meal deals, encouraging those entitled to Free College Meal (FCM) to use their daily allowance.
 
As well as catering services, Aramark UK is proud to provide a number of additional benefits to students, including employment opportunities, culinary workshops, Enterprise Days giving an insight into the hospitality sector, as well as training sessions on preparing for the workplace, including CV writing and preparing for interviews.
 
Helen Milligan-Smith, Managing Director, Aramark Food Services UK welcomed the announcement saying: “We are delighted to be beginning a new partnership with New City College as we continue to strengthen our presence in the Education Sector. We aim to transform the catering service at NCC with our keen appreciation for the role of food and coffee at the heart of campus life. Our new food offering is designed to meet student and staff’s varying needs, as well as enhancing the learning experience of the students in the culinary and foodservice world.”
 
Suri Araniyasundaran, Deputy CEO at New City College said: “The food and other refreshments served on our campuses are a very important element of our students' experience. After a robust tender process, we are pleased to confirm that Aramark will be working with us on this significant contract.  We look forward to a fresh, new approach to our campus food outlets.”

Sodexo launches Fooditude in Dublin #

In December 2020 Sodexo acquired a majority shareholding in Fooditude, one of London’s leading names in ‘delivered-in’ workplace catering.  Fooditude has been operating since 2005, with household name clients that include Netflix and Pinterest. 

The arrival of Fooditude is an important step as Sodexo grows new digital-enabled and consumer-focused food services to support its mission to keep its clients’ employees happy, healthy, and well-fed. 

As organisations move towards hybrid working models, they are looking for more flexible and cost-effective support services. Fooditude, with its track record in fresh, fun, on-trend menu options, allows organisations to offer food as a benefit to entice employees back to workplaces, supporting the role of the office as space for collaboration and connection, and building employee productivity, health, and wellbeing. 

Food is ordered in advance via the Sodexo Twelve Pay app that provides a seamless ‘order-to-delivery’ experience. Fooditude’s offsite production capability allows organisations to review their real estate and re-model existing kitchen space for valuable business activities.   

The launch of Fooditude in Dublin is an exciting step in the evolution of Sodexo’s Vital Spaces proposition, which brings together the company’s diverse expertise to provide employers with a new approach to help them transform their workplaces through a connected, people-centric approach. 

Commenting on the news, Julie Ennis, CEO corporate services, Sodexo UK & Ireland, said

“Our investment in Fooditude is a crucial element in the evolution of Sodexo’s workplace food services. Organisations are rethinking the way they work, reviewing their office footprints and the purpose of those spaces, so it is crucial we have the right flexible, digitally-powered food services to meet our clients’ and consumers’ needs.

"We are delighted to take Fooditude to Dublin. We see significant potential to establish and grow the business there, with clear benefits to our current clients as well as an offer that will help us grow our Ireland business and target new clients in the city’s fast-growing technology and media sectors.” 

Fooditude continues to be run by husband-and-wife team Dean and Samantha Kennett, who have strong personal connections to Ireland.  A craft team will operate out of its new Dublin cloud kitchen at Clarehall in Santry. 

The Fooditude team will be preparing sustainably sourced, seasonal on-trend office catering delivered daily by its ‘dotty’ vans to clients in the Dublin area.  Typical lunchbox menus can include sticky pomegranate chicken, toasted sesame root veg and smoked quinoa; green tea roast salmon with soba noodle kale salad; grilled smoky steak with black bean, cumin, and coriander red rice salad; sesame tamarind tofu with rice noodles and an aubergine caponata. All sourcing is done from Origin Green verified suppliers. 

Fooditude co-owner and former chef Dean Kennett was virtually meeting prospective clients and showcasing the company offerings at the Dublin Tech Summit on 17th June.  Dean said,

"Our London clients have been asking us to come to Dublin for a while and now we’re here! We have over 15 years of experience in bringing food and fun to the workplace. Our motto is ‘feed yourself happy’ because there’s nothing like a tasty meal to put a smile on everyone’s face – and we’re looking forward to putting a few smiles on faces in Dublin!” 

During the pandemic, Dean and the Fooditude team delivered 40,000 meals to vulnerable residents in Southwark in London. As a result, the BBC programme, Masterchef UK, invited Dean Kennett to be a guest diner and judge on its recent broadcast celebrating Covid-19 Food Heroes. 

In Ireland, Sodexo provides integrated workplace services to clients in business and industry, tech, education, financial, pharma and healthcare. Those services include workspace transformation to improve employee experience, food services, facilities and estate management. 

For more information on Fooditude and Vital Spaces.