Sodexho railway deal puts Rail Gourmet monopoly on buffers

Sodexho has broken the stranglehold that Rail Gourmet holds on the British train catering market by winning a three-year deal with First Great Western, the West Country train operator.

The contract is worth £5m a year in turnover and Sodexho has formed a new division, Sodexho Travel, to run the business. It plans to pitch for other similar contracts in future.

Although the majority of the catering staff aboard the trains will remain employees of First Great Western, Sodexho will manage all purchasing and supplies. And it has drawn up a support staff contract to provide temporary relief staff.

Sodexho will also supply the staff for the railway's first-class lounges at the London Paddington, Cardiff Central, and Bristol Temple Meads stations.

Changes will include employing chefs in buffets so that food will be cooked freshly, rather than microwaved. The railway has recruited 36 chefs to man the buffets, which will be marketed under the name Refresca. And the company may look at using Gary Rhodes, who has a contract with Sodexho, to promote its dining cars.

by David Harris

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 10-16 May 2001