Talking school catering in 2022

For this episode, we’re breaking down the greatest challenges that school caterers are facing to feed children quality and nutritious meals this year. We’re joined by Dr Andy Kemp MBE, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Bidfood as well as Jacquie Blake, National Chair of LACA, the professional body for education.

With various costs rapidly rising, including the cost of food, fuel, and labour, caterers are increasingly faced with more challenges to provide quality school meals for children.

We go on to discuss how funding for Universal Infant School Meals are not changing in-line with external factors on the economy. This means school caterers are faced with greater difficulties in balancing costs with providing a nutritional meal, and these are meals that play an essential role in a child’s learning and development. On top of this, families across the UK are set to be badly affected by these changes, with thousands of people edging towards poverty and needing support through Free School Meals.

Our guests discuss the importance of funding and feeding children quality food, plus what caterers can do to help alleviate these challenges they face. As well as this, we talk about why Andy lent his weight to calls for more government financial support for the industry at the All Party Parliamentary Group meeting, where they discussed the importance of funding for Universal Infant Free School Meals. He has also written directly to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a number of other leading politicians which points out measures needing to be taken to support the industry.

To find how Bidfood catering food supplies can support you, find more support here: www.bidfood.co.uk/schools/

For support on other challenges the industry faces, go to: www.bidfood.co.uk/unlock-your-menu/