EATS, part of Ipswich-based Eastern Facilities Management Solutions Ltd, provides freshly cooked school meals for 97% of schools throughout Suffolk.
The company has been trialling a partnership with Gate Ventures in key areas throughout the county over the past year, to deliver meals from dining centres in the region to schools without kitchens.
As well as monitoring service provision, EATS has used the trial to track speed of delivery, reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Graham Freer, catering commercial manager at EATS, said: “As with any new supplier, we wanted to make sure that Gate Ventures was able to not only fulfill the school meal delivery contract, but to do it with efficiency and reliability.
“Following time trials of all the school delivery routes and amending where necessary for maximum efficiency, we are pleased to have agreed a partnership with Gate Ventures that will ensure that schools without kitchens in our region will continue to have freshly cooked, delicious meals.”
Tevin Tobun, Gate Ventures managing director, added: “Our partnership with EATS demonstrates our commitment to working with schools, contract caterers and local education authorities to supply fresh food options on time and in the best possible condition to pupils all around the country.
“Time-tracked deliveries are an everyday part of our operation and precision and accountability are key to our business.
“The trials enabled us to demonstrate to EATS we are a supplier that they can trust to deliver, no matter what.”