Contract catering update
ISS Caterhouse takes over ISS Caterhouse has won the contract to feed children at 43 schools in the south London borough of Merton from September. As part of the contract, worth an estimated £2m a year, ISS Caterhouse has undertaken to improve the quality of ingredients with organic milk, free-range eggs and Red Tractor quality assured meat in its freshly prepared dishes. The deal caps a turbulent period for school meals provision in the area that saw Compass-owned Scolarest and Initial Catering come under fire from a parents' pressure group over the quality of food served in primary and secondary schools.
Searcy sets up awards scheme Royal Opera caterer Searcy has set up the Giles Shepherd Award for Excellence in honour of its former managing director. The new annual accolade will recognise service excellence given to clients or colleagues in six categories, such as most developed manager, most developed chef and outstanding floor staff member. The six winners will each pick up a development bursary of £2,000. For more, go towww.searcys.co.uk.
Scolarest wins college contract Scolarest has won a £870,000 total turnover, three-year contract at Tollbar Business and Enterprise College at New Waltham near Grimsby in North-east Lincolnshire (see picture above). The company will provide catering for 2,000 students as well as day-to-day hospitality for the college's conferencing centre.
Bank deal for In House The In House Catering Company has won the contract to provide catering services at British Arab Commercial Bank (BACB) in the City of London. The contract will have an estimated turnover of more than £250,000 over the three-year duration. In House will provide private dining, hospitality and vending services to more than 130 people based at the offices in Mansion House Place.
Chavel steps up at Sodexho Caterer and facilities management company Sodexho Alliance has promoted George Chavel to the position of president and chief executive of its North American operation. Chavel, who is currently president of the company's US Health Care division, succeeds Richard Macedonia, who is retiring after 39 years with Sodexho.
Gorvett grabs new post Chartwells, Compass Group's independent schools caterer, has appointed 2005 Caterer and Hotelkeeper Acorn winner Gina Gorvett as nutritionist. Gorvett will continue also in her current role as Compass Group education sector nutritionist.
Redcliffe in £1m town hall deal Midlands caterer Redcliffe has won a £1m contract to provide the corporate and event catering at Birmingham Town Hall, which reopens in October after a £25m refurbishment. The company has also netted three one-year contracts worth £326,000 in total to provide catering for 700 employees at Goodrich Actuation Systems in Wolverhampton catering at Birmingham's Washwood Health Children's Centre and, from August, catering at the Oblate Retreat Centre in Crewe.
