Mellors scoops a second accolade

Mellors Catering Services has been recognised as the fastest growing inner-city contract caterer for the second year running. The Southport firm is the only food service provider in the Inner City 100, the annual index of the fastest growing businesses in the UK's poorest urban areas.

Its turnover has risen from £1.85m in 2001 to £3.06m in 2002 and £4.32m in 2003. The average pre-tax profit of Inner City 100 companies in 2002 was nearly £400,000.

Many operate in areas where the crime level and a low skilled workforce is a deterrent to business viability.

But Tim Timmerman, managing director of Mellors, said: "We don't say ‘I wish I was in another place' because we don't know any better. You live within your environment."

In the last year Mellors has created 64 jobs, taking its number of employees to 326, and has won more than 15 new contracts and now has 52 in total. Recent clients include Nestlé in Liverpool, the National Blood Service at three sites in Manchester and Leeds, and Loretto, the oldest sixth-form college in Manchester.

Timmerman originally came from Holland on a six-month student exchange scheme, but after meeting his wife, he settled in Merseyside. He set up Mellors Catering Services with his son Mark in 1995. The company also runs three high-street café-restaurants called Mellors.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 6 - 12 November 2003