Ways to ad value
It takes courage to turn down opportunities to tender for business when your company is only a few weeks old and has no contracts. But Barry Moore and John Harris, founders of the Good Eating Co, were determined that their first contract should be with a media company.
"Some people said that we were mad, but we felt that our first contract had to be exactly right if we were going to invite consultants and prospective clients to see it," says Moore. "We felt, as a small catering company, that we could match our service to a creative environment where the style and food is important in mirroring the client's house style. This is also a market that has huge potential, with the growth of the Internet and television."
Their gamble paid off. In October 2000, the company beat off its competitors to win a £400,000 five-year deal with advertising agent D'Arcy Masius Benton Bowles. Its brand new Kensington building will have catering in the style of Gatro pubs, centred around a café, a dominating 40m-long bar and an open-plan kitchen.
Despite operating a temporary service until the building is complete, Moore and Harris have achieved a 70% take-up so far. Moreover, while the contract is commercial, prices are still 20% lower than in the high street.
Both men originally worked for Catering & Allied, Moore as operations manager (before spending a year running a restaurant in Sydney, Australia) and Harris as a development chef. With the company's merger with the Elior Group, they saw a space in the industry for a small, responsive contract catering company. Startup capital of £50,000 was provided by Moore, Harris and two private investors.
With insufficient funds to support two executives, Moore ran the business alone until the first contract was won. During this time, he ran an exclusive special event catering service which included serving senior personnel in their own homes. It's a side of the business he plans to keep.
"We found that certain executives wanted to meet confidentially, others simply wanted to be in their own home, and choose their own wine and menu," he explains.
"We aren't looking to become big event caterers but to produce small, exclusive functions, bringing the restaurant style into any environment."
Moore and Harris see the industry moving towards smaller, tighter, commercial operations with skills concentrated on a few dishes done well. "The days of big old staff restaurants with a massive menu range, enormous kitchens and dozens of staff has gone," says Harris. "Modern companies don't want to look at investing £500,000 in new facilities plus the same in subsidies."
