FOOD & DRINK
A CONTEMPORARY CALIBRE OF CONTRACT CATERING
Catering providers have been on a silent mission to reshape the industry and inspire
workplaces across the country for many years. With ‘health and wellbeing’ playing an integral part of everyday life, Vacherin, a London-based contract caterer, believe the catering on offer in an organisation could be a significant factor in the UK’s ongoing productivity puzzle.
Contract catering has evolved to serve an exceptionally broad slice of UK Plc – generating £4.7bn of turnover last year. The lion’s share comes from business and industry (B&I), namely staff dining, which contributes about half of contract catering’s total turnover – far more than any other single area of operation.
It is no secret that contract catering once had to grapple with its reputation, and somewhat unjustly. However, it appears to have found its feet in recent years, concreting its place and validating its worth by playing a major part in supporting organisations in their quest for optimum workplace wellbeing. If the TV shows depicting scenes of yesteryear are anything to go by – such as the characters in Mad Men eating uninspiring sandwiches – then the contract catering provision of today is leaps and bounds ahead. Thanks to the emergence of providers who exist to transform the offering, like us, there’s a renowned appreciation for this line of catering.
Catering has been a driving force and crucial part of the FM offering for decades. For those on the periphery, or who haven’t caught up with what’s been achieved in
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our triumphant sector, this might not be as apparent. Contract catering’s reputation, in this instance, succeeds it. Therefore, it’s the overall perception, not the offering, where change is needed – and thankfully, the change has heartily commenced.
As a united workforce, we have never been so aware of our diets and lifestyles, and the impact this can have on our productivity and overall wellbeing. From weekly fitness sessions and discounted gym memberships being offered, to subsidised, healthier ‘staff dining’ and wellbeing-focused initiatives, employers are embracing and facilitating this shift in focus and awareness. With the average employee spending between five and a half to six hours sat at their desk, businesses have a duty to actively encourage their staff to change their eating habits for the better in order to combat this increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Paying attention to the wellbeing of employees not only increases their overall happiness, but actually has a return on investment for business. After all, research has suggested that improved morale can increase engagement, not to mention reduce absenteeism – which directly translates into a strong and happy workforce.
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