apetito wins contract with RUH Bath

3rd December 2008, 12:53pm

apetito, a supplier of frozen meals to the healthcare sector, has been awarded a three year contract with Royal United Hospital, Bath, following a seven month tendering process.

Mike Newport, Facilities Manager, Royal United Hospital, Bath explained more: "It was time to review our meal provision to find a solution that better suited our requirements. Our goal is to ensure that our 700 patients receive quality, appetising hot meals when they wish to eat them. The previous cook-serve system posed two key challenges; firstly, staff found it difficult to maintain the temperature of meals served to patients in the ward. Secondly, serving hot meals was restricted to lunchtime, which may not suit the operation of every ward."

When evaluating the different systems for food provision, the hospital found cook-freeze to be the best in terms of fulfilling its requirements.

This system allows food to be heated on demand enabling flexible feeding times to suit the ward staff whilst guaranteeing patients received piping hot meals.

Mike added: "Based on this system, we evaluated products from five suppliers. apetito was short listed and the final decision was made on the company's ability to provide a competitive proposition and on the quality of food and choice available. In addition, we viewed the close proximity of its manufacturing facility to the hospital as a benefit.

"The feedback from patients has been very positive. They like the food and are satisfied with the standard of the meals they receive. We are very pleased to be working with apetito."

The success of the cook-freeze system has resulted in apetito delivering approximately 700 hot main course meals and desserts to patients every lunchtime and a hot service in the evening as required.

Related Articles:

• 09 Aug 2011 - Apetito’s new cakes and sandwiches offering
• 09 May 2011 - New board appointment at frozen food supplier apetito
• 08 Feb 2011 - The Duchess of Cornwall visits frozen meals supplier apetito
• 27 Jul 2009 - Apetito wins The Customer Focus Award
• 03 Jun 2009 - apetito quits the education market

Click here to submit a comment!

Jane Sinclair

25 February 2011 at 6:51pm

My son , aged 20, has just spent six days in the RUH and I can honestly say that the food he was given was nothing short of disgusting. I was shocked at the choice of dish on offer which lacked protein, vitamins, in fact everything that a healthy diet requires. He could not stomach any of the meals and I had to take food in for him. He is not a fussy eater but he does draw the line at badly chosen, badly cooked food. Looking round at the reactions of other patients, I am very dubious about your assertion that the feedback from patients was positive. I suggest they were too weak and malnourished to give any meaningful feedback.

Have your say!

To comment on this article, simply enter your name and email and send us your views. Please note that your comment will appear publicly below this article once it has been processed. For enquiries please email info@costsectorcatering.co.uk.