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Contract catering sales saw a modest recovery in the last quarter of 2021, but Covid-19 concerns continue to hold them well below pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest edition of CGA’s Contract Caterer Tracker.
Whilst figures show sales from October to December 2021 were up by 37 per cent on the same three months in 2020, a period when many venues served by caterers faced heavy restrictions, the Tracker also indicates that sales were 26 per cent below the fourth quarter of 2019, when businesses were trading as normal, though this marks an improvement on a shortfall of 36 per cent in the third quarter of 2021.
The figures also reveal how contract caterers have suffered from lingering concerns about Covid-19, and from a drop in visits to the venues they serve. The Tracker shows that the number of outlets open in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 13 per cent lower than in the last three months of 2019.
Karl Chessell, CGA’s Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, said: “It has been a hugely challenging two years for contract caterers, and with sales still well below pre-Covid-19 norms the sector is clearly going to take a long time to recover.
“The phasing out of restrictions should pull more people back to workplaces and the many other spaces served by caterers as 2022 goes on. However, with some businesses severely weakened by the effects of Covid-19, supply and staffing problems continuing, and inflation hitting both caterers’ costs and people’s spending, more challenges lie ahead.”
CGA’s Contract Catering Tracker aggregates sales from leading operators to provide quarterly reports with year-on-year analysis. CGA’s partners on the Contract Catering Tracker include: ABM Catering, Artizian Catering Services, Bartlett Mitchell, BaxterStorey, Blue Apple Contract Catering, CH&CO, Compass UK, Elior UK, The Genuine Dining Co., Graysons, Harrison Catering Services and Sodexo UK.
FMJ’s February FM Clinic asked a panel of industry experts: As contract catering continues to suffer from a reduced footfall in workplaces, how can caterers and their FM clients maintain the supply of reliable and appealing food services to a hybrid workforce while still remaining competitive? To read the article click here.
FMJ in conjunction with Grundon Waste Management have launched the 2022 survey into how FMs approach their waste management and recycling responsibilities.
It’s the fifth year for the annual appraisal, and as we return to normal, there is a real opportunity for FMs to reappraise their waste and recycling operations and look at new, smarter waste management strategies.
In order to understand how FMs have navigated their way through the last year and their plans for meeting stringent waste and recycling targets we’ve posed a series of questions which include insights into FMs’ waste management strategy and targets, such as zero waste and landfill, the types of waste organisations produce and what helps FMs promote waste management in their organisations?
Please share your experiences and opinions on waste management. The survey will take just five minutes to complete, and as a thank you for taking part, respondents will be entered into a prize draw to win a £150 Amazon gift card.
To take part click here.
