We have placed here the most frequently asked questions we get about Host (click on the question to get the answer):


  • Who owns Host?

  • Where do you operate?

  • Who are your clients?

  • Why work with Host?

  • I have a catering manager and want to stay operating in-house - how can you help me?

  • How do you support my operation when the catering manager is ill?

  • What is the argument about purchasing discounts in the contract catering industry?

  • I have a loan from my existing catering company – how do I get out of that to work with Host?

  • How can you cut my catering costs?

  • Will you guarantee my catering costs?

  • How do I make contact with Host out of hours?



Who owns Host? Jerry Brand founded Host in 2004, and has placed 35% of the business equity in Trust for staff and management share options so that it is truly a co-operative of the people who are responsible for the day to day success of the business.

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Where do you operate? We operate on a national footing in Scotland, England and Wales.

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Who are your clients? We operate contracts in business & industry (offices, factories, conference/training facilities and shared offices with directors through white and blue collar customer base), independent education (prep through to senior and 6th form), Beacon schools and Academies, further and higher University education and the healthcare sector (care homes, hospices and hospital).

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Why work with Host? Because we will provide you with a tailored catering service at one with the needs of your organisation, and our 'customers'. We will deliver the most cost effective purchasing and a real time, Internet based and transparent management information system. And we operate to a very flat management structure so that you will always feel , and be able to, contact senior personnel within the business at any time.

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I have a catering manager and want to stay operating in-house – how can you help me? Host can operate two contract styles; i). the full contract management service where we either TUPE transfer all your management and catering staff and get on to run the catering (we can do a hybrid of that where just the management are employed by Host and the staff employed by you), or ii). you retain the employment of your catering team and we provide you with purchasing support and access to our ‘Caternet Club’ concept (www.caternet.co.uk) with your catering management supported by our systems and one of our local contract support managers and/or the help line (01730 897099) so you have effectively got the system and financial benefits of the contract caterer but retain sovereignty over your catering operation.

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How do you support my operation when the catering manager is ill? We operate a national structure of locally employed people who are trained and available on an as required basis.

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What is the argument about purchasing discounts in the contract catering industry? Simple really. Some companies actually mark up the costs of the goods they buy from their suppliers before they deliver them to you - and they then charge you a management fee! Host looks to achieve the best net price and deliver that - transparently, so you are in control of your money. To take out the human argument (i.e. the lies), we also provide you with a secure Internet based procurement system that shows you what you are paying for each item so you can check on www.tesco.com at any time (or any of the other supermarkets) and you will find we can get our food on average some 30/40% cheaper.

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I have a loan from my existing catering company – how do I get out of that to work with Host? Depending on the loan outstanding and size/repayments, Host will look at transferring the capital to us and continuing to make the payments for you whilst charging you back over the same time period – that way, you can make the decision to change and benefit immediately with the reductions in costs that we will find.

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How can you cut my catering costs? If you are already contracted to another company there is a very good chance that our purchasing will cut out a healthy percentage of your costs instantly, and if you are managing in-house, then the savings of joining a larger purchasing consortium will be immediately felt. If you are changing your catering schedule, then we will manage the reduction/consolidation of your existing teams, plus we may well be able to help you to manage your catering with new ideas on how to do things. Either way, we will be very quick at assessing what needs to be done and will chart that in detail so that you are aware of your different choices and decisions to make.

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Will you guarantee my catering costs? We will operate a fixed price but that is more expensive to you. We are also happy to operate to a guaranteed management at cost agreement where we agree on the really irritating costs that have not been controlled by your current caterer (food cost/gross profit, labour and some sundry items), and that way you benefit in further reductions in costs.

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How do I make contact with Host out of hours? Host works 24/7, 365 days per year and out of hours our main switchboard goes to a duty manager who is able to help and contact whoever is needed to deal with your query - 01730 897089.

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