Bidfood
Bidfood is one of the UK’s leading foodservices providers, supplying schools and colleges in the UK. We are passionate about food and are proud to offer our customers a choice of over 13,000 Own Brand and branded lines from essential ingredients to ready-to-finish products; catering supplies; tableware and cleaning products. We can offer schools support with compliant menu cycles, product ranges to meet school food standards and products to help schools attain ‘Food for Life’ status.
LACA Partner Q&A with Gavin Squires, Business Development Controller: Education & Healthcare - Bidfood
Tell us about your product/service range?
Bidfood is a leading foodservice supplier to private and public sector caterers focused on service excellence, great food, real value, sustainability and a forward thinking approach.
Why is it so well suited to the school food sector?
We have a wide range of generic products and ingredients that assist school caterers to meet the legal requirements of the Government’s Food Based Nutrient Standards.
In addition, we provide products which enable the industry to gain the “Food for Life Served Here” mark.
Each individual contract with LA’s. Private Contractors, Academy Trusts and in house providers are tailored to meet their specific requirements and our teams source our clients’ requests.
We have over 20 years of experience in this sector of the hospitality industry and are recognised as one of the major players in this field of business.
We believe that the providing to millions of our children and students with a healthy, high quality school lunch is a vital service during the school day.
What are the biggest challenges you are facing for your businesses?
There are a considerable number of challenges that we are facing currently and the main two are:
- Food inflation of 20% which is continuing to rise
- Product availability
The Government funding system for school meals is complicated and unfair. In many cases Head teachers retain some of these funds. As a result, the caterer is not receiving sufficient funding to provide the standard of meals that the children and students have previously been accustomed to
What do you do to support the school food sector beyond the supply of your products/service?
We believe that the support that we give to the Education Sector is second to none. Our Education Development Chef, Wayne Wright who won the Public Sector Chef of the Year Award provides menus and recipes to schools, host customer development days for clients, visit school kitchens and hold cookery sessions with parents and children.
On our website there is lots of advice and information including on allergens, newsletter, and marketing.
Why is supporting LACA and their work so important to you as a business?
It is so important as we care about feeding the future generation of our country. We support LACA via the following area’s:
- The Main Event and Exhibition
- Regional meetings
- LACA’s access to Government Departments. Education. Health, and DEFR
- LACA Board Representation
What was your favourite lunch when you were at school?
It has to be Fish Friday!!!