Mitie, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing and energy services company, is pleased to announce significant developments within its catering business, including the introduction of fresh new talent within the management team and a 45% growth in business on-the-books over the company’s last financial year.
As part of Mitie’s Facilities Management business, the catering team delivers café, restaurant, retail and hospitality services, predominantly to clients within the private sector. In just 12 months the team has secured over £14 million worth of new business, consisting of both stand-alone catering contracts and business won as part of integrated FM deals.
New contracts include Diageo, WorldPay, the Office of Fair Trading, and the Cumbrian Collaboration which incorporates Sellafield and the NDA. The team has also expanded its longstanding relationship with Osborne Clark as well as retaining and extending existing contracts with Hallmark Cards, The Brewery and DAC Beachcroft LLP to name but a few. The business is led by Allister Richards who joined as managing director in April 2011, having previously held the position of managing director, England & Wales at Sodexo Prestige.
Allister said of the business’ success in 2011:
“We are delighted with the significant progress the business has made over the financial year and the rest of 2012 looks extremely promising.
“We believe the marketplace is ready for something new, hence our approach that combines the agility and flexibility of the smaller niche contractor with the resource and stability of a FTSE 250 company.”
Allister has attracted a senior team from diverse backgrounds to offer a fresh approach to the market, including:
- Jim Norris, director of food – a highly-respected chef and a champion of regional sourcing, Jim inspires on all things foodie as well as managing craft development and chef resourcing across the business;
- Barry Moore, operational performance director – an entrepreneur in his own right, Barry returned to the UK from Sydney to drive operational standards across the business. Having been immersed in Sydney’s renowned café culture, Barry brings a creative and personality-driven approach to delivering catering within corporate environments;
- Heidi Stone, sales and marketing director – responsible for building a pipeline of higher value opportunities and developing creative marketing focused on adding value to the consumer experience;
- Clare Garcia, head of innovation and retail – responsible for ensuring the food delivered to clients is imaginative and inspiring, and presented in a way which reflects current trends and high street influences;
- Kate Taylor, nutrition project manager – a qualified nutritionist and testament to the fact that health and well-being is an important part of the future food proposition in Mitie.
Mitie’s catering business now has a well-established, successful and experienced operational team creating a structure that is focused on driving new and better ways of delivering food services.
Allister added: “We have a really interesting team here, and feedback from our new clients has been resoundingly positive so far. Combining the hospitality credentials and talent of this team with the wider strength and broad self-delivery capabilities of Mitie offers a really compelling model for the market to consider.”
-ENDS-
For further information, contact:
Bell Pottinger
Rebecca Lloyd-Wright
D: +44 20 7861 2499
E: rlloydwright@bell-pottinger.co.uk
