EP #10: M&A in Contract Catering: Behind the Deals Shaping the Industry
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have always been part of the contract catering world - but in recent years, M&A activity has accelerated. From billion-euro exits to independents joining forces with larger groups, consolidation is reshaping the landscape. Newest example being Compass Group's acquisition of Vermaat for €1.5 billion. In this Served. panel talk, we sat down with two experts who know both sides of the table: Graeme Smith, Corporate finance specialist at AlixPartners, and Ruston Toms FIH, Co-Founder and Former Director of Blue Apple Workplace Catering , who sold his business to CH&CO which then got acquired by Compass Group.
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EP #9: Customer Experience That Sticks: Lessons from Former Aramark CXO and 4xi’s Tony Johnson
In this episode of Served., Peter Baech talks with Tony Johnson, CCXP, former Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Aramark and now CXO at 4xi Global Consulting. With more than 14 years in one of the world’s largest food service companies, Tony shares what he's learned about building a culture of service that actually works in contract catering.From what great service really means to balancing tech and human touch, Tony makes one thing clear: if you want better customer experiences, you have to start with your people.
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EP #8: From Sandwiches to the C-Suite: Catharine Barras on Leadership, Global Contracts, and the Future of Food Service
She started by making sandwiches at 5am. Now she leads global strategy for Sodexo. In this wide-ranging conversation, Catharine Barras shares career lessons, food tech trends, and her predictions for how we’ll eat and work in 2035.“If you don’t put your hand up, you’ll never be recognised.” - Catharine Barras.In episode 8 of Served., we sat down with Catharine Barras, Global COO for Strategic Accounts at Sodexo, to explore her leadership journey across continents and companies.We cover:Her rise from bar shifts to boardroomsThe reality of being a female exec in a male-dominated industryGlobal vs local catering modelsHow tech, AI, and dark kitchens are reshaping corporate food serviceAnd what 2035 might look like for the next generation of eaters, chefs, and clientsInsightful, grounded, and refreshingly forward-looking - this episode is a must-read (and must-watch).
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EP #7: Making ESG Pay Off: Turning Operational Challenges Into ESG Gold by Gina Camfield from Aramark
Welcome back to Served., where we dig into the ideas shaping the future of foodservice. This week, we’re talking about ESG, not as a PR exercise, but as a serious lever for performance in contract catering. Eline Henriksen caught up with Gina Camfield , Head of ESG at Aramark UK & Global Offshore, to find out what it really looks like when sustainability is part of the business model. From cutting food waste across hundreds of kitchens to turning social impact into measurable value, this is ESG with substance, not slogans.
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EP #6: More Than Just a Free Coffee: Why Contract Caterers Need Loyalty by George Gee - The Mastermind behind the Costa Loyalty Programme
Welcome back to another edition of Served., where we explore ideas shaping the future of foodservice. This week, we’re diving into a core ingredient of sustainable growth in contract catering: loyalty. Toby Bonnett sat down with George Gee (CLMP™) - widely known as The Loyalty Man - to unpack what truly drives customer loyalty, what most schemes get wrong, and how contract caterers can unlock meaningful, measurable engagement.
Netherlands