It seems that the contract catering industry has take a huge loss following behaviour and attitude changes set in motion by the work of celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver. Some contracts for school meals are not attracting tenders as companies say they can’t make any profit on the current monies offered.
It seems that the contract catering industry has take a huge loss following behaviour and attitude changes set in motion by the work of celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver. Some contracts for school meals are not attracting tenders as companies say they can’t make any profit on the current monies offered. The government last year responded to Jamie Oliver's calls for improved standards, pledging £220m of investment over three years to help schools and LEAs hire better cooks and increase the standards of school meals. It has recommended a minimum of 50p be spent on ingredients for primary school meals and 60p for dinners at secondary schools. Well - they’re not going to get much for that are they ?
Reported in the Guardian, the infamous Turkey Twizzler firm, Scolarest, said £10 millions had disappeared of sales in six months. The company said that earning had also been hit by parents choosing packed lunches rather than paying for school meals. Other catering firms are refusing to bid for school contracts saying that they are not financially viable for the, and other caterers have complained that many of the expected constraints on food standards, particularly removing sweets and chocolate from vending machines, make running a profitable business almost impossible.
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