News

School meals contract caterer Eden Foodservice has achieved the Soil Association’s Silver Food for Life Catering Mark across all primary schools. That means it is providing 39,000 meals to this standard at 353 schools each day, across 7 contracts – the first caterer to achieve Silver on this scale.

Rob Sexton, chief executive for Soil Association Certification: said: “What a fantastic achievement –a significant first for both the education catering sector, and for Eden.

“This clearly shows what can be achieved when good food provision is established as an integral part of a business, and when this commitment is mirrored in the supply chain.

“This is effecting real and meaningful benefits to pupils and staff in these schools every day.”

Rachael Venditti, development manager at Eden, said: “For a number of years we had been working on improving our standards in terms of cooking meals from scratch; using high quality, ethically sourced sustainable ingredients; promoting healthy eating; engaging with our schools; staff training and food safety.

“Through setting the Silver Catering Mark as a minimum standard we could ensure continuity across all of our schools and receive the recognition the Catering Mark provides.”

She said that to achieve the award, a number of changes to the menu were required, including moving the entire business to free range RSPCA Freedom Foods certified eggs; introducing organic produce (Yeo Valley organic yoghurt, and in some contracts organic vegetables); increasing the amount of MSC fish, LEAF Marque and Red Tractor certified produce, and moving to British bacon.

The team had worked closely with key supplier Brakes to create menus and use ingredients that met the Silver Standards, and which were as cost effective as possible.

James Mills, sector development manager (education) at Brakes, said: “A number of Brakes’ customers have been involved with Food for Life for a number of years, predominantly for specific schools or for certain contracts.

“So when Eden first got in touch and said they wanted to take their whole business to Silver, we were impressed. Working in partnership we are now in a position to fully support their application for Silver across their whole education business.

“We believe other customers will follow this trend, and the implications for the UK supply chain are exciting and dramatic.”