Sodexo Is Top Of The Class For Catering With 18 New Academy Schools Added To Its Register
Birmingham Diocesan Multi Academy Trust (BDMAT) has awarded Sodexo the £1.3m a year catering contract for its 18 academy schools.
The new three-year contract effective from 1st August 2021 with an option to extend to a possible five years.
BDMAT’s portfolio of 17 primary schools, within Birmingham and Warwickshire, currently caters for over 3,800 pupils. Sodexo’s contract also includes the trust’s brand-new purpose-built secondary school, Christ Church Secondary Academy, in Yardley Wood, Birmingham which opens in September for around 190 year 7 pupils in its first year.
The new contract will see Sodexo transfer over 50 staff from multiple catering providers to create a one-team catering approach. Each school will be involved in Sodexo’s Food & Co makeover led by pupils themselves and will include the Five Foodie Days menu.
Meals will comprise of a different theme for each day of the week: planet earth, street food, world food, originals and Friday favourites. Dishes on the menu will reflect local pupil demographics and have been informed by research outcomes, emulating high street trends and food favourites which link to the five foodie themes.
A menu pre-order and payment platform, ‘School Food United’, will also be implemented to assist busy families on the go and ensure pupils are able to eat their choice of lunch every single day
Matt Garner, managing director, government schools, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “The award of this new contract demonstrates our continued commitment to providing healthy school meals while strengthening our position as a leading catering provider for state schools and academies in particular.
“We are looking forward to working in collaboration with the staff and pupils at each individual school to create a new, exciting school meals concept.”
BDMAT is a West Midlands based multi-academy trust committed to providing high quality education for all the children in its schools through collaboration, challenge, and targeted support set within a Christian framework.
Christopher Mansell, CEO, from Birmingham Diocesan Multi Academy Trust said: “We were really impressed with how the values and aspirations of Sodexo aligned with those of BDMAT and are excited about developing our new catering offer with Sodexo.
“Our pupils deserve the very best; eating healthily and well is a key component of supporting pupils in their education and development and we are confident Sodexo is the perfect partner for us.”
