Host forges ahead with environmental push
Contract caterer Host is committed to reducing its environmental impact, having recently gained ISO 14001 accreditation for its Environmental Management System.
But the company is keen that all Host staff understand what more they can be doing to protect the environment, so has this week launched its own e learning environmental awareness
course.
All staff will have access to the computer-based course and the lucky 100th person to successfully complete the course will win a prize of £100
to spend on environmental products from the
greenshop.co.uk.
Further appointment for Host
Andrew Scott, Host’s Business Development Manager has become the company’s Sales Director, South, with immediate effect.
Andrew has been with Host for five years, having previously worked with Aramark. “Its been a great five years with Host so far and I’m really looking forward to developing the southern sales team over the next six months,” he said.
The announcement follows a restructure at Host which has created both an operations team and a sales team. Food innovation and purchasing has been moved into the operations team, headed up by Deborah Homshaw as operations director.
“This is a more logical place for Neil Wightman and Diane Broad, allowing them to really focus on where the Host food strategy and culinary skills are heading,” commented managing director Jerry Brand. “They will also link directly with Neil Shayle as our training manager, as well as ensuring that our one-stop shop and local fresh produce plan is continuously improved with the advent of the G-Shop e-procurement systems which are coming into Host for beta testing from August onwards.”
Alan Aitken heads up sales in Scotland and the north and will continue to focus on Host’s traditionally strong areas of business & industry, education and healthcare.
Host staff called for green ideas
Jerry Brand, the managing director of independent contract caterer Host, is seeking ideas from staff on how the company can further improve its environmental protection.
The company was founded in 2004 with a principle of being environmentally friendly. Food purchasing within Host already aims to reduce food miles, local suppliers are used where possible, many units grow their own herbs and even vegetables, and head office has a low energy and low paper usage policy.
Brand is offering his 600 staff a prize of £250-worth of Love2shop vouchers and a runners-up prize of £100 for the best ideas.
“Host is doing a great job at lowering its environmental impact,” said Brand. “Earlier this year we were awarded ISO 14001 for our environmental management systems, so we are certainly on the right track. But it’s important we continue to forge ahead with new ideas.”
All Host staff have been asked to submit continuous improvement ideas that could be implemented in the next six months.
Jerry Brand is entering into the spirit too – he has pledged to start cycling into the company’s head office in Liss a 20-minute downhill ride there, but a two hour uphill struggle back. Brand is also rumoured to be growing herbs in the office! All ideas should be sent to Jerry at
Jerry.brand@hostmgt.com
Host meets the demands of the new austerity
“In the aftermath of the Government’s emergency budget, family finances will be tightened and so Tupperwares will increase at staff restaurants,” says Host managing director Jerry Brand. “Students may well come under pressure too. So its important we develop tailored menu offers to maximise sales, supported by meal deals, incentives and promotions.
“It’s no longer enough to run a special promotion or theme day, each promotion has to deliver value for the customer, as does our daily counter,” he adds.
Host’s Caternet flyer library now includes a new style of menu offer that tells the customer how much money they are saving off the standard tariff price. And Brand is confident sales will grow as a result!
Work has already begun on the ‘£1’, ‘£2’, ‘£3 and more’ menu styles so customers can choose what they want to spend. Each menu has been nutritionally balanced so customers can get refreshment and nourishment at a great price.
PRESS RELEASE - 1 JULY 2010
Technology gives Host the cutting edge to retain £1.75m supply contract
National contract catering group Host has this week announced the retention of its Sanctuary Care procurement contract following an EU tender process.
The three-year contract, worth some £1.75m per year in food costs, services 50 plus care homes throughout the UK and a conference centre through Host's in-house supply management system Caternet.
"This is an important contract for Host and one we have retained based on a balance of competitive supply prices and the implementation of Caternet," commented Host managing director Jerry Brand.
The Caternet management system, which is supplied and managed independently to Host's own catering contracts, handles purchasing, menu management, nutritional analysis, labeling and marketing. The system is currently used by over 160 in-house catering sites.
"The Sanctuary Care catering teams will shortly be installing our G-shop e-procurement system which enables local farmers and suppliers as well as national supply chains to trade in a paperless environment," added Brand. "This helps reduce the collective carbon footprint of the Sanctuary Care catering operation as well as speeding up administration and financial planning.
"The market is extremely tough at the moment, particularly with the public cost-cutting announced by the coalition Government last week. Clients are now looking at further ways of controlling costs, which is why Caternet and G-shop are well placed to expand as they both deliver pricing transparency to our customers. In our own catering contracts, particularly in business and industry, we have developed new, set-price tariffs and promotions designed to deliver further value for money to our customers. It's going to be increasingly vital for contractors to keep people using dining facilities, rather than bringing their own food into work."
For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at
Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.
View, print or download a PDF of this Press Release >>
PRESS RELEASE - 1 APRIL 2010
Host achieves quality accreditations ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
Independent, national contract caterer Host has been awarded quality assurance accreditation ISO 9001 for its quality management and ISO 14001 for its environmental management systems.
The accreditations took just over three months to achieve with Host passing the two standards simultaneously at the first attempt, putting it into the top 1% of certified companies. The awards cover the company’s head office in Liss, Hampshire, and one of its B&I catering units in Cambridge, which feeds over 500 staff.
“We are delighted to announced we have now got these two important accreditations,” said Host quality and HSE director Mike Chubb. “This clearly demonstrates that we have a consistent, quality driven approach to the way the business operates and a sustainable approach to environmental management.
“Our quality and environmental management processes are active across all Host sites. It’s our intention to roll out the formal ISO internal audit process to ensure their entire business community is working towards achieving these quality and environmental business objectives. In this way we can seek immediate accreditation for additional contract sites in the future, especially where our clients feel it will add value to their business.”
The accreditations come in what is already proving a pivotal year for Host. A new corporate look was unveiled last month, focusing on five icons as core company values - honest food, bright ideas, passionate people, careful spending and ethical approach. The company also announced strong trading results for 2009 – with pre-tax profits rising from £41,000 to £209,000.
Host currently operates over 75 contracts in the business & industry, education and healthcare sectors and employs 550+ staff.
For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at
Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.
View, print or download a PDF of this Press Release >>
PRESS RELEASE - 25 MARCH 2010
Host announces impressive profit rise in one of
the hospitality sector’s toughest years ever
Tighter cost controls, strong sales, the shedding of unprofitable contracts and improved purchasing have helped Host Contract Management beat the downturn to achieve the biggest profit rise since its launch in 2004, with pre-tax profits rising from £41,000 to £209,000 for the year to 31 December 2009, despite turnover falling 21% to £14.5m.
“Last year was one of the toughest years of trading I can remember in my 27 years in the business, but we have come through without having to make any redundancies in our core business,” commented Host managing director and company founder Jerry Brand. “Companies are re-tendering their contracts more often and expecting better quality for less money – sometimes making the contracts unprofitable. We are now taking a much firmer line on marginal business.
“During 2009 we have matured as a company. We have kept a tight rein on our own expenditure, negotiated a new purchasing deal with two key suppliers, and our clients, and prospective clients, have responded positively to our ethos on cost transparency which gives them access to real-time spending on catering supplies on a daily basis and the ability to control costs more easily,” added Brand.
“Our business model is robust and competitive and contracts we are now winning have increased in average size and profitability. We continue to make strong in-roads to our chosen market sectors of business & industry, education and healthcare as well as strengthening our geographical areas.”
Host has also unveiled a new corporate image, giving it a modern, vibrant feel based around five icons that represent the company’s philosophy: honest food, bright ideas, passionate people, careful spending and an ethical approach.
For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at
Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.
Alternatively call Host managing director Jerry Brand on 01730 897095/07836 754441.
View, print or download a PDF of this Press Release >>
PRESS RELEASE - 28 JANUARY 2010
Host adds three new contracts to its growing portfolio
Host, the independent national contract catering group run by foodservice entrepreneur Jerry Brand, has been awarded three new catering contracts, two in education and a third in business & industry.
Host has expanded its portfolio of independent school contracts with the addition of Box Hill School in Dorking, Surrey, which has 450 pupils and staff. The £450,000 contract was won from Holroyd Howe.
A second schools win sees Host take on the catering at independent Redhouse School in Stockton-on-Tees, Teeside, which has 420 pupils. As a sports-orientated school, part of Host’s remit is to improve the quality of packed lunches offered to pupils playing away matches. The £180,000 contract was taken over from Compass.
Host has also been awarded the contract to feed 400 staff at the Coventry head offices of building supply company Jewson. The contract was won from Graysons Hospitality Associates and is worth £200,000.
“We are delighted to start 2010 by gaining these three contracts. This is the beginning of an exciting year of growth for Host. We have come through the worst of the recession, strengthening the business as a result and now it’s time to move forward and expand into new regions and new areas of business,” commented managing director Jerry Brand.
Host, established in 2004, is strongly focused on environmental sustainability and delivering a high quality of food and service with menus tailored to each site. The company operates an open system of accounting giving clients access to all food spend data and an innovative procurement and management system in its web-based Caternet club, which is integrated between the supplier, client and Host. The company currently operates 75 contracts.
For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at
Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email
linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.
View, print or download a PDF of this Press Release >>
PRESS RELEASE - 11 JANUARY 2010
Host announces £50m supply deal with Brakes
in the first of its New Year Starter for '10! initiatives
Host, the national contract catering group run by foodservice entrepreneur Jerry Brand, has kicked off 2010 by signing a £50m three-year deal with supplier Brakes for its dry, chilled and frozen foods.
Brakes will supply Host’s 75 contracted units in business & industry, healthcare and education from the end of January, as well as its in-house contract business in healthcare (a further 53 contracts) and the new 16-site, £3m turnover PGL holiday/adventure camps contract that started in November 2009.
Host has also negotiated a further deal nominating Brakes for fresh butchery, fish, greengrocery, bakery and dairy, but has introduced another supplier for fresh food giving unit managers the option to source locally based produce from supply group e-foods.
“Giving our unit managers the option of using fresh supplies from e-foods offers them an automatic cost comparison with Brakes,” commented Host managing director Jerry Brand. “It’s an unusual deal as most contractors will use several suppliers, whereas we’ve opted for just two. This means that while we’ve negotiated a favourable deal with Brakes, we have also introduced an element of competition between Brakes and e-foods on fresh produce, so our managers have the choice of buying locally or nationally and with whoever offers the best quality at the best price.
“Our counter customers are the main beneficiaries of this new purchasing policy as it means they will always get the best value and freshest local produce and regional foods on their menus. It also reduces the number of deliveries the units are receiving, so lowering our carbon footprint and food miles,” added Brand.
This is the first of several new initiatives Host will introduce in 2010, as part of its ‘Starter for ‘10’ campaign. Others will include further developments on its e-procurement system ‘g-shop’ which connects producers and growers with local operators, as well as the completion of its Caternet Club concept which offers unit managers a fully integrated internet-based catering management system for budgeting, menu management, nutritional analysis, e-procurement and subsequent reporting via a single website.
Host was established in 2004 by former Russell & Brand chief executive Jerry Brand. The company is focused on delivering a high quality of food and service with menus tailored to each site, while also developing modern methods of providing the traditional contract catering service in the current financial environment where clients need to reduce the cost of catering for their employees, pupils or students and residents in care homes.
For further information, interviews or comment please contact Linda Pettit at
Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721/07973 789853 or email
linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk.
View, print or download a PDF of this Press Release >>
