Education caterers Innovate named UK’s top performing catering firm
The Foodservice Growth report from AlixPartners and EP, listed 12 companies which either specialise or are involved in education catering across either state or private schools.
The list is based on latest reported turnover and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the last three years.
Surrey-based company, Innovate, topped the list after recording a latest turnover of £17.7 million and a CAGR of 125.8%.
The group, founded in 2007, serves more than 100 schools and canteens across primary, secondary and sixth form.
At the primary level, its service is delivered to clients with and without kitchen facilities, and the business offers both cashless and preordering systems.
Secondary school meal provider, Cucina, came fourth for a second year running with reported latest turnover of £12.5 million and CAGR of 42%.
Other catering companies to make the top ten included Accent Catering (7), Dine Contract Catering (6) and Oliver Catering Services (10).
Wilson Vale (12), Pabulum (13), ABM Catering (14) and Thomas Franks (15) also featured in the top 20.
60% of the companies on the list offer education catering of some sort. This figure is up from 40% in 2016’s report although the number of those specialising in the market dropped from 4 to 1 (Innovate).
Companies with a turnover of over £1 billion were excluded as were businesses whose primary focus is facilities, although their catering subsidiaries were included if individually reported on. Traditional catering companies expanding into facilities management services were included.