Vertas wins £1m Norfolk schools deal

Multi-service facilities management firm Vertas has won a contract worth nearly £1m to provide catering services to a group of Norfolk schools.

The firm will provide catering at Hobart High School in Loddon, as well for the Loddon Primary Federation (which includes Loddon Infant and Loddon Junior schools).

Initially, the deal will last for three years with a possible extension of a further two years.

The contract began at the start of January 2016 and continues the Suffolk firm's expansion into Norfolk.

Vertas has three brands within its contract catering arm: Eats, which claims to be Suffolk's largest primary school foodservice business; Vive, which has been designed by students, for students at various Suffolk academies and sixth forms; and Caraway Hospitality, which hosts events ranging from teacher training days to sporting events and banquets.

Ian Surtees, group managing director at Vertas, said: "Vertas continues its march into Norfolk and we are over the moon with our recent catering mobilisation! My team and I are delighted to have successfully launched catering services at Hobart High and the Loddon Primary Federation. Our education catering brands Vive (Secondary) and Eats (Primary) provide young people with tasty meals made with truly local ingredients from East Anglian suppliers; whilst ensuring the right nutritional elements that our pupils need to stay alert in lessons.

"Vertas provides catering and various other services to around 30 schools in Norfolk and our launch in this group of schools, along with 12 others in the county since September, marks our commitment to expanding our services across Norfolk. Vertas already provides catering to over 300 schools in Suffolk and Essex and we look forward to working with our partners and clients over the borders to further build on our ever-evolving service offer.

"My personal thanks goes out to all who made the launch of these new catering services a success and we cannot wait to see these developed over the coming months into an excellent provision for our young people."

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