A million meals ... On Time

1st September 2011, 12:02pm

With school meal service costs under close scrutiny and local authority fiscal belts being tightened, we look at how independent supplier Gate Ventures is helping caterers by delivering a million meals a year.

Gate Ventures, the facilities services company whose meal transportation division is one of the UK's leading for hot and chilled deliveries to the education sector, handles more than one million meals a year to schools that do not have sufficient facilities for onsite operations.

And now, with more than 10 years' experience of working with schools and educational establishments, the company has become the go-to service provider of school meal delivery services.

Working alongside a network of the UK's leading contract caterers, Gate Ventures serves large London boroughs including Westminster Council, Brent, Harrow, Lambeth, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth local authorities.

The company works with clients to service often complex requirements across numerous sites with tight time constraints. Managing director Tevin Tobun, said: "Unlike any other meal distribution sector, school meals is the one shrouded in the most stringent regulation. Quality of service from health, safety and hygiene through to time management, is paramount in ensuring a seamless, high quality service day in day out.

"While some believe that a regular taxi or courier service will suffice, we know that this is a specialised service that requires a specialised approach with highly trained staff and well-equipped vehicles. We pride ourselves on taking away the day-to-day operational logistics from our clients, allowing them to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively."

One client that knows the benefits of working with a specialist distribution company to handle its meals to 40 sites across Wandsworth, Harrow and Lambeth is Harrison Catering, the independent contact caterers.

"We have been working with Gate Ventures for seven years and think it's important that every schoolchild should have access to a hot lunch, whether their school facilities allow this or not. Working together we make sure this aim is achieved.

"Our partnership approach has made this affordable, meaning that more of the money paid for the meal ends up on the plate," said Gareth Harrison, director client services, Harrison Catering.

Gate Ventures' experience and established infrastructure is central to its commitment to helping clients place more of every pound into the mouths of the children they feed.

With a dedicated work force of nearly 100 CRB approved staff and a fleet of 70 Tracker equipped vehicles in its meal transportation division, Gate is able to absorb costs by creating finely timed, efficient multi-drops instead of numerous individual deliveries.

Typically by mapping out the routes, the company is able to reduce the number of vehicles and staff required to service a contract by up to half. As well as a financial saving, there is a significant reduction in the environmental impact, being further supported by the current project to convert vehicles to LPG.

At the start of any contract, sites and timings are mapped out by using bespoke software. The routes are then regimentally road-tested in real time to identify potential issues. After a series of test-runs, improvements are made and a final route is agreed serving up to three drops from one vehicle in a 45 minute window.

This level of precision-mapping is a meticulous task that is taken seriously with company investing heavily in its Tracker monitoring system for all vehicles.

With the ability to monitor progress and estimated arrival time, potential issues or delays can be identified and a recovery strategy put in place within minutes. Transport manager Neil Robbins said: "It is important that the routes run like clockwork to meet target times at each school. Even a few minutes late has the potential to significantly impact on the school day, compromising pupils' routine.

Financially the implications can also be considerable - it isn't unheard of for catering contractors to be fined by local authorities for repetitive lateness."

Tobun says: "It's time that the industry considered the safe and hygienic delivery of school meals in the same way that we now view the content of the plate. How it arrives is an equally important part of the process and we are committed to setting a new quality-standard across the industry that is also competitive on price."

Gate Ventures' food transportation division is just one part of the company's facilities management offering. Other services provide kitchen deep cleaning and building maintenance operations.

Web: www.gateventures.co.uk  Tel: 020 7622 4445