CH&Co
CH&CO is a UK and Ireland contract catering and hospitality group operating nine specialist brands across workplaces, education, healthcare, venues, and events at 800+ locations with 9,000+ employees, serving enterprise clients including the Royal Opera House and Royal College of Physicians.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersReading, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CH&Co does
CH&CO is a UK and Ireland-based contract catering and hospitality group operating through a multi-brand portfolio of nine specialist businesses including Company of Cooks (venues and events), Gather + Gather (workplace catering), Vacherin (London specialist caterer), Create and Ultimate (event catering), eve (venue solutions), Inspire Catering and Pabulum (education), and Blue Apple (workplace). The company serves enterprise clients across five primary verticals: workplaces, education, healthcare, venues, and events/destinations, operating at 800+ locations with over 9,000 employees. Revenue is generated through negotiated multi-year B2B contracts, with disclosed anchor deals including Royal Opera House (£130m/5 years), Royal College of Physicians (£10m/3 years), and No.4 Hamilton Place (£2.5m/3 years).
The company holds distinctive credentials including a Royal Warrant for catering services to HM The King, a top three-star Food Made Good rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association held since 2014, and consecutive RoSPA Gold Medal Awards for health and safety. Supporting technology includes a Food & Drink mobile application with ordering, dietary management, loyalty tracking, and personalized marketing capabilities, an internal "The Kitchen" platform for chef collaboration and recipe sharing, and "Better Data Faster" data dashboard infrastructure across major systems. A pilot partnership with Reewild at UCL introduced AI-powered carbon tracking for student meal planning.
CH&CO operates an enterprise field sales go-to-market model, winning contracts via competitive tenders with corporate clients, educational institutions, healthcare providers, venue operators, and visitor attractions. Following its April 2024 acquisition by Compass Group UK & Ireland for £475 million, CH&CO now operates as part of the UK's largest food and support services company while maintaining its specialist brand portfolio. Major recent partnerships include ALVA (visitor attractions sector), Diageo/Guinness (Guinness Open Gate Brewery), Dynamic Earth (Edinburgh), and Historic Royal Palaces (The Orangery at Kensington Palace).
CH&Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CH&Co
- Legal name
- CH&CO
- Website
- https://chandcogroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- CH&CO is a UK and Ireland contract catering and hospitality group operating nine specialist brands across workplaces, education, healthcare, venues, and events at 800+ locations with 9,000+ employees, serving enterprise clients including the Royal Opera House and Royal College of Physicians.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CH&Co industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contract Catering Services
- NAICS
- Caterers (722320), Food Service Contractors (722310)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Services & Catering (On-site/Corporate Dining/Vending) (IMAIAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH), Hotel & Resort Banqueting (In-House Catering) (THAHAKAC), Luxury Hospitality & VIP Hosting (Tables, Bottle Service, Concierge Hosts) (HSACAMAH)
Keywords
Where CH&Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reading
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
CH&Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contract Catering Services: B2B contract catering services across workplaces, education, healthcare, venues, events, and destinations. Revenue is generated through long-term contracts with clients, typically valued at millions of pounds over multi-year terms.
- Event Catering & Production: Events production and catering services through Ultimate and Create brands for corporate events, weddings, gala dinners, and venue hospitality.
- Venue Hospitality: Restaurant, café, and bar operations at prestigious venues including Royal Opera House, Livery halls, and visitor attractions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B Contract Catering - Enterprise pricing through negotiated contracts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CH&Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CH&CO is a UK and Ireland contract caterer delivering food, drink and hospitality services to corporate workplaces, schools, universities, hospitals, visitor attractions, cultural venues, sports stadia and events through a portfolio of specialist brands. Services span full hospitality management including cafés, restaurants, bars, event catering, front-of-house and reception, supported by an internal Food & Drink mobile app and the Better Data Faster operational data platform.
Product overview
CH&CO is a collection of specialist businesses and market-leading brands operating in the UK and Ireland catering and hospitality sector. The portfolio comprises multiple sub-brands: Company of Cooks (venues and events), Gather + Gather (workplace catering), Vacherin (London specialist caterer), Create (event catering), Ultimate (seasonal venues), eve (venue and events), and Inspire Catering (education). Supporting these brands are internal platforms including The Kitchen (chef collaboration and recipe sharing) and The Gathered Table (food innovation initiative). CH&CO also operates a Food & Drink mobile application enabling customer ordering, loyalty programs, and dietary management. The company operates across workplaces, schools, venues, visitor attractions, healthcare, stadia and events sectors, holding a Royal Warrant for catering services to HM The King.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Company of Cooks: Venues, events, and destination catering brand operating across London and the UK.
- Gather + Gather
- Vacherin
- Create
- Ultimate
- eve
- Inspire Catering
- The Kitchen
- The Gathered Table
Products and services
- Company of Cooks
Quantifiable outcome
- Carbon emissions reduction of 35% achievable by choosing carbon-rated products
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CH&Co
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CH&Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
CH&Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- ALVA (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions)coreCompany of Cooks appointed exclusive Food & Beverage/Events Partner for ALVA, the national membership body representing over 2,200 UK visitor attractions. Partnership involves sharing expertise and insights with ALVA members.
- Dynamic EarthcoreCompany of Cooks appointed inaugural catering and hospitality partner for Edinburgh's Science Centre and Planetarium in five-year deal. First time Dynamic Earth has outsourced visitor and event catering.
- Royal Aeronautical Society (No.4 Hamilton Place)coreCompany of Cooks new hospitality and catering partner for headquarters at No.4 Hamilton Place Mayfair. £2.5 million three-year deal covering all hospitality touchpoints.
- Royal Opera HouseflagshipCompany of Cooks extended partnership with Royal Opera House for further five years in landmark £130 million deal. Includes Cicoria restaurant partnership with Angela Hartnett OBE.
- DiageocoreCompany of Cooks exclusive bar, restaurant and event partner for Guinness Open Gate Brewery at Old Brewers Yard, Covent Garden. Exclusive deal covering two restaurants, courtyard, and event spaces.
- Royal College of PhysicianscoreCompany of Cooks extended partnership with RCP and RCP London Events for three years in £10 million deal. Continues exclusive management of full catering and hospitality services.
- Westminster Kingsway CollegecorePLATE (Performance, Learning And Technical Excellence) programme launched with Westminster Kingsway College and Chef Sabrina Gidda to develop next generation chefs. Six students per cohort supported through financial assistance, mentoring, and guaranteed employment.
- Mastercard Start PathminorReewild joined Mastercard Start Path startup engagement program to scale carbon rewards scheme globally. CH&CO participates as pilot partner at UCL.
- Angela Hartnett OBEflagshipCicoria restaurant and Bar Cicoria partnership at Royal Opera House. Angela Hartnett brings signature Italy-inspired cooking to venue's fifth floor restaurant and terrace.
- Well GroundedcoreSocial enterprise partnership providing specialty coffee training and barista traineeships. Partnership has sponsored or employed 95 people with over 4,000 work placement hours since 2017. Graduation ceremonies held at Royal Opera House.
- Silo (Doug McMaster)minorVacherin's Silo Stages sustainability initiative with renowned chef Doug McMaster to accelerate commitment to reducing food waste through chef-focused training.
- ReewildcoreUCL pilot of Reewild AI-powered carbon tracking meal planner at CH&CO cafeterias. Students earn points for low-emission lunches. Reewild joined Mastercard's Start Path startup program. Users can save up to $1,800 annually and reduce carbon by 35%.
- Sabrina GiddacoreThree-year culinary consultancy partnership with Chef Sabrina Gidda working alongside Vacherin's Head of Food. Instrumental in developing PLATE talent programme.
- Luminary Charity and Luminary BakerycoreTen-year partnership supporting disadvantaged women through training, employment and community support. Raised £32,500 in 2025 through Three Peaks Challenge. Co-funded central production kitchen with Company of Cooks.
- Amanda UrsellminorConsultant nutritionist Amanda Ursell developed CH&CO's Chefs Nutrition Course to help chefs understand nutrition and improve customer health through menu development.
- Historic Royal PalacescorePartnership for The Orangery at Kensington Palace reopening in May 2024. Company of Cooks delivers restaurant operations in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces.
- Springboard CharitycoreCH&CO supports hospitality charity promoting careers to next generation and helping disadvantaged people with skills and job opportunities. COO Allister Richards serves as Chair. Commitment to advertise all entry-level roles with Springboard.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CH&Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Restaurant Associates (Compass Group): Compass Group brand specializing in premium workplace, venue, and cultural institution catering. As a sibling brand within Compass Group UK & Ireland following CH&CO's acquisition, Restaurant Associates competes directly with Company of Cooks and Vacherin for prestigious venue contracts.
- Lexington Catering: London-based contract caterer specializing in workplace dining, hospitality, and events. Comparable to CH&CO's Gather + Gather and Vacherin brands in target customer base (corporate workplaces) and service offering (catering plus front-of-house hospitality).
- Baxter Storey: UK-based independent contract caterer focused on workplace and venue catering for premium clients including financial services, professional services, and cultural venues. Direct head-to-head competitor to CH&CO in the UK premium contract catering segment, with comparable customer profiles and brand positioning.
- Caterlink: UK education-focused contract caterer providing school meals and catering services. Directly comparable to CH&CO's Inspire Catering and Pabulum brands within the education vertical, competing for the same school and academy contracts.
Emerging players
- ISS Food & Hospitality (UK): Facility services company with growing food services offering in the UK workplace and corporate hospitality segment. Competes with CH&CO's Gather + Gather and Vacherin brands for corporate catering contracts, often bundled with broader facilities management.
- Wilson Vale: Independent UK contract caterer with strong regional presence in workplace and education catering. Comparable mid-market positioning to parts of CH&CO's portfolio (Gather + Gather and Inspire Catering), competing for similar corporate and institutional contracts.
Broad incumbents
- Elior UK: UK arm of Elior Group, a French-listed contract catering company operating across workplaces, education, healthcare, and venues. Competes with CH&CO across multiple verticals with broader geographic footprint but generally less premium positioning in venues.
- Sodexo UK & Ireland: UK subsidiary of global food services and facilities management giant Sodexo. Operates across corporate, education, healthcare, and stadia catering with comparable scale to CH&CO's enterprise contract portfolio, though with broader service offering beyond catering.
- Compass Group UK & Ireland: Parent company of CH&CO since April 2024 and the UK's largest food and support services company. Operates multiple competing contract catering brands (Chartwells, Eurest, Restaurant Associates) that overlap with CH&CO's workplace, education, and venue offerings across the same enterprise client base.
- Aramark UK: UK arm of global contract services company Aramark, providing food services across workplaces, education, healthcare, and stadia. Overlaps with CH&CO across multiple verticals with comparable enterprise contract model and similar client types.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CH&Co social profiles
Digital presenceCH&Co compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
CH&Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CH&Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
CH&Co subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
CH&Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CH&Co M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CH&Co
What does CH&Co do?
CH&CO is a UK and Ireland contract caterer delivering food, drink and hospitality services to corporate workplaces, schools, universities, hospitals, visitor attractions, cultural venues, sports stadia and events through a portfolio of specialist brands. Services span full hospitality management including cafés, restaurants, bars, event catering, front-of-house and reception, supported by an internal Food & Drink mobile app and the Better Data Faster operational data platform.
Is CH&Co a public or private company?
CH&Co is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CH&Co founded?
CH&Co was founded in 1991. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is CH&Co based?
CH&Co is headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CH&Co make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Catering Services are the primary driver. The others are event Catering & Production and venue Hospitality.
Who are CH&Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Restaurant Associates (Compass Group), Lexington Catering, Baxter Storey and Caterlink. Emerging players are ISS Food & Hospitality (UK) and Wilson Vale. Broad incumbents are Elior UK, Sodexo UK & Ireland, Compass Group UK & Ireland and Aramark UK.
Does CH&Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for CH&Co.
What industry is CH&Co in?
CH&Co's product category is Contract Catering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIAAAE, Food Services & Catering (On-site/Corporate Dining/Vending), with a secondary code of HSACAAAH, Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant). Its NAICS code is 722320 and its SIC code is 5812.