Spoonfed works with businesses providing amazing food each day – but even though we present their delicious menus online we don’t always get to talk about their innovative ingredients, their plans for seasonal menus or their latest amazing event. Cost codes and PO validation? Don’t roll your eyes and say, 'But what about all my attractive menus? This is the real world and these are the areas which corporate hospitality must deal with. It can’t be avoided BUT it can be managed efficiently.…

It was good to see a determined focus on Food Waste again recently – a big part of the challenge in this is of course, for caterers to put food in front of people that they want to eat. Simple? If people are more particular than ever before then giving the opportunity to choose what they want, even in meeting room settings, is will a big part in getting this right. Spoonfed’s building of their Group Ordering feature was a classic example of what growing their development team had set out to achieve, ie creating the tools which catering managers are looking for, to help them deliver a service which enhances customer experience, (ie gets better feedback!) avoids wasting time – and avoids wasting food!…

Spoonfed’s developments, esp post Covid, has placed into Caterer’s hands the tools to take up new opportunities; offer clarity and spend control to clients; make compliance and confidence part of the ordering experience, no matter the complexity…however, it's clear that the reliable basics of saving staff time, by removing unnecessary manual processes and automating the order experience, is at the core of what Spoonfed offers and at the heart of what catering business need.…

Taking catering seriously now means there are a whole raft of additional questions, procedures, barriers, requirements alongside just producing great food – we are in a hybrid working environment where staff numbers to cater for fluctuate, and where there are more issues than ever around allergens, dietary issues and carbon footprint.…

Whether it is for those who have to regularly place orders for hospitality, or those managing budgets wanting control on the who, what, why and how much did it cost?…or if it is the kitchen team processing the orders, Spoonfed is inviting each of them to see that there is a world of solutions at hand. And you can do more! You might say, that owning a Rolls Royce would let you sit in a comfy seat and listen to the radio…well yes, but here there is far more available to you.…

If the key to success for many in the hospitality sector is in embracing guest-oriented solutions for each aspect of their service then Group Ordering is a vital component. It’s worth looking back and considering what the experience was before a Group Ordering option was in place when organising catering for a meeting: - the level of stress and time wasting for the facilitator - the level of disappointment for those at the lunch table - the level of difficulty for the caterer to score highly in everyone’s feedback…

Things are getting better across the Catering and Restaurant sector - there is steady return to work for many and that will increase. As we have monitored Spoonfed users over the last year we can see that their order numbers are increasing However it’s not all good news - the cost of food is soaring, staff costs are rising and customers are still watching their spend too. And even the return of the caterer's customer base to the workplace is tempered by hybrid working patterns. It's now as important as ever for catering managers to watch the margins...…

For those in the catering sector we know that coming out of pandemic restrictions was like reaching the surface and gasping for air again. However, and continuing the analogy, the subsequent hybrid working patterns now established are akin to a ‘Long Covid’ for catering firms with its associated sluggishness. Of course, this has huge implications for corporate catering firms and those running hospitality contracts across a range of sectors. You want to be able to offer a service but it needs to adapt to changed circumstances. How can tech solutions help catering managers face this challenge? There are two sides to consider: the tools need to be available so you can be flexible and sensible in how staff are managed, and being able to manage what you offer and how you offer it.…

“Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story” - I’m retiring today and this Tolkien quote sums up things well. But so does ‘People make Business’ and there are a lot of them to mention I’ve been on an adventure – no doubt about that! Let me tell you about that……

People are already used to ordering food online these days so it just needs a simple App right? No, not really. While the amount of people ordering food online has increased this is for a simple order for later in the day. Can large, high value corporate orders really be placed with confidence, accuracy and efficiency? And when this order is for next week, and changes will doubtless be required, can phone calls and emails - and more calls/more emails - really be avoided? And can we reduce that margin for error too?! In summary, simple Apps are not fit for purpose…