Global Infusion Group named the UK's fastest growing foodservice company

14 November 2016 by Katey Pigden

Event caterer Global Infusion Group (GIG) has topped a list of the top 20 fastest growing foodservice operators in the UK.

The firm went straight to the number one spot as a new entry in the 2016 Foodservice Growth report, compiled by AlixPartners and EP, after achieving 67.9% compound annual growth from a turnover of £17m.

It was followed by new entry Mellors Catering Services and Company of Cooks which moved up three places from last year, with growth rates of 47.1% and 40.2% respectively.

Cucina featured in fourth place as another new entry, while Catering Academy completed the top five, having jumped 12 places from 2015.

The report, now in its fourth year, assesses foodservice providers on their profits and accounts, measuring growth rate over a period of three years.

GIG emerged from the Eat to the Beat business created by managing director Tony Laurenson (pictured) more than 32 years ago. It is privately owned by Laurenson and global operations director Bonnie May.

Laurenson said: "We are delighted to be placed number one in this prestigious league table of the fastest growing foodservice companies in the UK.

"Our position at the top of the index is a tribute for all the hard work of the entire team at GIG from the directors and all our senior executives and managers to our operations teams, chefs, back and front of house teams. Everyone right across our business has played a part in our success and has helped to grow our business."

Created and owned by managing director Mark Timmerman, contract caterer Mellors Catering Services has seen its number of catering units grow by 70% to just below 200 in the last 24 months.

Tony Trainor, chief operating officer said: "Our growth has been a result of a well-executed plan with our customers at the centre of everything we do. A focussed approach to innovation, customer service and added value activity across the estate has certainly assisted this growth.

"Internally, we have been building the infrastructure to allow further business growth, launching new training initiatives for our teams as well as ensuring that we have all the support in place to sustain the level of customer and client service excellence we pride ourselves against."

Tom Cox, director at AlixPartners, who wrote the report's sector review, said: "The independent foodservice sector has continued to thrive in our latest review, which primarily considers trading activity during 2015 and early 2016.

"It will be interesting to see how operators manage the impact of the national living wage from April 2016, alongside the management of wider food cost pressures which could impact margins in the next 12 months when we review performance in our 2017 report."

Mount Charles Group, which featured as number one in last year's report, failed to make the top 20 for the 2016 list.

Top 20 fastest growing foodservice companies in the UK, from the Foodservice Growth Report