School Catering Procurement

We support schools and multi-academy trusts with school catering procurement. It’s our job to help you source catering providers that deliver high-quality food, reliable service and better value for money. 

We manage the entire food procurement process for schools, from defining the service specification through to tendering, supplier evaluation and contract implementation.

Enquire about our school catering services
School catering staff serving students.

Why Schools Choose Outsourced Catering Procurement

Finding catering providers that deliver nutritious, reliable food, on time and how you need it can be exhausting.

Between supplier contracts, differing pricing structures, compliance requirements and managing the ongoing delivery of said services, many school teams are struggling. 

This is why many schools trust Procure. We’ll handle the entire school catering procurement process, taking the headache away from you, while ensuring your students get the best possible food and the best possible service for the right price.

Schools partner with us because we:

  • Provide access to specialist expertise – We focus exclusively on procurement. We know how to negotiate with suppliers, meaning you always get the best deals. 
  • Help you benchmark suppliers – It can be difficult differentiating between caterers. We use our industry knowledge and market insights to compare to find your perfect match. 
  • Reduce your administrative burden – We’ll manage the whole process on your behalf, taking the pressure and time off your plate. 
  • Improve your catering contracts – We ensure contracts are in your benefit and there are no hidden clauses or surprises. 
We’ll find your perfect catering service

Food Procurement for Schools – What We Provide

Your food procurement is the difference between great, healthy and affordable school meals, and expensive meals your students would rather not eat!

Effective food procurement for schools ensures:

  • The food you put on the table is high quality
  • You’re seen to be prioritising your students’ wellbeing
  • You can better balance a tight (often shrinking) budget
  • You remain complaint with strict school food regulations
  • You source food responsibly, from local sources if possible

We support you through every stage of selecting a catering provider, ensuring the procurement process results in a contract that delivers long-term value rather than short-term savings.

Get a better deal on food procurement for schools

How do We Help Procure School Catering Services?

We are education procurement specialists. We handle everything, so you don’t have to. Fully bespoke solutions, never off the shelf

Tendering & Evaluation

Catering tendering and evaluation icon.

Complete tender management, from beginning to end.

Food Safety/Compliance

Catering food safety compliance.

Meet all food safety & allergen best practices.

Review & Audits

School catering audits icon.

Streamline & understand your school’s catering process.

Why Choose Procure Education?

We are specialist education procurement specialists – we exclusively work with schools and multi-academy trusts, helping them find the right outsourced suppliers for essential services such as cleaning, catering and facilities management. 

Chances are, procurement is one of the many things on your plate. Let us make things easier, cheaper and more efficient.

Our specialist accountants support with key financials, our sustainability experts work with you to find suppliers that meet your environmental needs, and our compliance managers guarantee that you’re fully adherent to any and all regulations. 

We’ll become your catering procurement partners – the success, happiness and health of your students is our key priority, always. 

Catering staff preparing high quality school meals.

Supporting Across the Catering Spectrum

Supporting across the catering spectrum map.

We’re Always Learning

Take a look through some of our latest content – we’re always making time for a little learning!

Academy Trust Handbook 2026

A practical guide to the Academy Trust Handbook 2026 procurement changes for multi-academy trusts.

Read more

Should You Manage Catering In-House or Outsource It?

Should your school manage catering in-house or outsource it? Compare the benefits of key considerations to make the right decision.

Read more

The DfE energy row is missing the question that actually matters to your trust

The Energy Consultants Association (ECA) have urged the DfE to correct ‘misleading’ energy claims. For MATs and academies, it’s worth understanding what that debate is really about.

Read more

FAQs

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Get in touch and our team will be happy to help.

We manage the entire catering procurement process on your behalf, from defining your service specification and running the tender, through to supplier evaluation and contract implementation. You stay in control of the final decision and we handle everything else.

We work exclusively with schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs) across the UK. Whether you’re a single school or a large trust managing multiple sites, we tailor our support to your specific needs.

Managing supplier contracts, pricing structures, compliance requirements and ongoing service delivery is time-consuming and complex. By outsourcing to Procure, school leadership teams can focus on their students while we ensure the best possible catering deal is secured on their behalf.

We use our industry knowledge and market insights to benchmark suppliers against one another, negotiate on your behalf and ensure your contracts are written in your favour – with no hidden clauses or surprises.

Both. We never cut quality to save money. Our goal is to find a catering provider that delivers nutritious, high-quality meals your students actually enjoy, while also making sure the contract represents genuine value for money.