Independent schools worry about rising costs of catering

Two in three independent schools find achieving high-quality meals to be a top catering challenge, according to a report by apetito and the Independent School Association (ISA).

The research also found that over 25% of schools feel pupils’ nutritional needs are not being met, while 85% expressed ongoing concerns about the rising cost of school catering.

These three factors are having serious consequences on schools’ ability to provide high quality, nutritious meals to pupils.

The report which is being made available free to independent schools has been undertaken to help schools better understand the current landscape of school catering and offer insights into how teams can manage their catering services.  

The report, which is free to access dives deep into the key issues shaping independent school catering today, provides data-driven insights, best practices, and strategies to help schools navigate these challenges effectively.

Examining the ongoing challenges schools are facing, particularly concerning cost, labour, and nutritional standards ‘Shaping the Future of Independent School Catering’ offers insights into the importance placed on these factors by schools. It’s a valuable resource, enabling schools to share and learn from the experiences of others.

Speaking on the report, Rudi Lockhart, CEO of the ISA, said: “apetito was able to gather data from the Heads in our Association for this report which provides a really valuable snapshot of the nature of catering in independent schools right now. It helps to identify the different needs that schools have, the particular challenges that they are facing, and the ways that schools can make sure they continue to do the very best in catering for pupils and staff.”

Rupert Weber, General Manager for Education at apetito said: “When we set out to compile this research, we wanted to create report which examined the true position of independent school catering in an increasingly tough economic climate. Partnering with the Independent School Association has allowed us to dive deep into the challenges, the solutions and the successes schools face when it comes to putting meals on the table that pupils love, meets their diverse needs and fits within the costs parameters that schools are currently juggling.

“We believe this will be a valuable resource, enabling schools to share and learn from the experiences of others. This collaboration is more than research; it’s a commitment to setting new standards for school catering that we hope will signpost the future.”