Contract caterers' third-quarter sales up year-on-year, but significantly lag pre-Covid levels

Contract catering sales from July to September 2021 were up by 52% on the same three months in 2020 but still 36% lower than the same period in 2019, according to the latest CGA Contract Caterer Tracker.

The tracker showed contract caterers continued to suffer from the effects of national lockdowns and the drop in footfall in workplaces and sectors like leisure and live events. On a month-by-month basis, there were signs of some improvement between sales in July (down 38% on 2019) and September 2021 (down 29%).

Karl Chessell, CGA's director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: "These figures show the scale of the Covid aftershocks that contract caterers are dealing with. While it's pleasing to see a revival in sales since last summer, this is from very low comparatives, and the 36% shortfall from 2019 is a more realistic measure of the challenges faced by contract caterers.

"Demand will build in due course, but with many people continuing to work from home or cautious about returning to crowded spaces, and supply, recruitment and cost issues mounting, the sector will be under pressure for some time to come."

CGA's partners on the Contract Catering Tracker included ABM Catering, Artizian Catering Services, Bartlett Mitchell, BaxterStorey, Blue Apple Contract Catering, CH&CO, Compass UK, Elior UK, the Genuine Dining Co, Graysons, Harrison Catering Services and Sodexo UK.

Photo: Aneta Pawlik on Unsplash