SchoolGrid
SchoolGrid is an independent UK-based SaaS provider of kitchen management software for primary and secondary schools, Local Authority caterers, private caterers and Multi Academy Trusts. Its ParentGrid, MenuGrid, KitchenGrid and SelfXpress products serve 800+ schools and process over 20 million meal orders annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersLivingston, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SchoolGrid does
SchoolGrid (formerly Live Kitchen) is a UK-based, independent SaaS company founded in 2007 by Dugald Curtis that provides kitchen management software to primary and secondary schools, Local Authority caterers, private caterers and Multi Academy Trusts. The platform is built around four integrated web-based products: ParentGrid (parent ordering, payments and feedback), MenuGrid (menu/recipe management with live supplier-data integration), KitchenGrid (kitchen operations, food-waste reduction and compliance) and SelfXpress (RFID-based self-checkout for secondary schools). SchoolGrid processes over 20 million meal orders annually across 800+ schools in the UK and has extended into Swedish municipal catering through integration with the DABAS ingredient database.
The company monetises through a hybrid model: MenuGrid is offered free for life to public-sector caterers who are LACA members, KitchenGrid is free for Local Authority and arms-length caterers, and a fully-funded 6-month pilot is available across up to 5 schools. Paid revenue is generated from commercial caterers, MATs, secondary schools, and colleges via subscription licences for the full suite, professional services (on-site training, installation, hardware fitting), and payment-processing transaction fees on card and Direct Debit collections. Sales is led by a direct UK-based team with demos at existing customer sites and active participation in LACA industry events; the UK customer service team also handles inbound parent calls as a switching-cost anchor. SchoolGrid holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and Cyber Essentials certifications, and supports the LACA Grab 'N' Go Challenge, the University of Leeds food-choice research partnership, and the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.
Operationally, SchoolGrid is led by founder-CEO Dugald Curtis, CTO Gary Clark, CCO Mike Travis, COO Holly Roberts (first COO, appointed April 2024) and Non-Executive Director Lin O'Brien MBE (appointed December 2021). The company remains privately held with no disclosed external funding, is registered in Scotland (SchoolGrid Ltd, SC333369) with operational offices in Edinburgh and Shipley, and is positioned as a category-defining incumbent in UK school catering software following LACA Supplier of the Year (2022) and joint LACA Outstanding Supplier of the Year (2024).
SchoolGrid firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SchoolGrid
- Legal name
- SchoolGrid Ltd
- Website
- https://schoolgrid.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SchoolGrid is an independent UK-based SaaS provider of kitchen management software for primary and secondary schools, Local Authority caterers, private caterers and Multi Academy Trusts. Its ParentGrid, MenuGrid, KitchenGrid and SelfXpress products serve 800+ schools and process over 20 million meal orders annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SchoolGrid industry classification
Industry- Product category
- School Meal Management Software
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Services Administration (Meal Eligibility, POS, Nutrition Compliance) (EDAJAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD), Contract Foodservice Management for Schools (EDAEAEAB)
Keywords
Where SchoolGrid is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Livingston
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SchoolGrid business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Software Subscription/SaaS: SchoolGrid provides kitchen management software as a service to schools and caterers. MenuGrid is offered free to public sector caterers who are LACA members, while other products like KitchenGrid are provided free to Local Authority caterers. The company generates revenue through software licensing and implementation services for their suite of products.
- Professional Services: SchoolGrid provides on-site training, installation, and implementation services as part of their customer onboarding. They carry out all training, fit hardware, answer parent calls and emails, and provide ongoing support.
- Payment Processing: The system handles card payments and Direct Debit collections for school meals. While payment processing fees may be covered during free trials, the system manages financial transactions for schools and caterers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | MenuGrid - Free for Education Caterers |
| Freemium | Free | KitchenGrid - Free for Local Authority Caterers |
| Freemium | Free | 6-Month Free Pilot |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise/Caterer Pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
SchoolGrid product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SchoolGrid provides web-based kitchen management and school meal ordering software for primary and secondary schools, caterers, and local authorities across the UK and internationally. Their integrated suite covers parent-facing online ordering and payments, menu and recipe planning with supplier integration, kitchen operations and food waste reduction, and RFID self-checkout for secondary schools. The systems are designed to increase meal uptake, cut food costs, ensure allergen safety, and reduce administrative burden on school catering teams.
Product overview
SchoolGrid provides a suite of four integrated kitchen management software products for primary and secondary schools and caterers across the UK and internationally. The platform consists of ParentGrid (parent-facing ordering and payment system), MenuGrid (recipe and menu management), KitchenGrid (kitchen operations management), and SelfXpress (self-service checkout for secondaries). These products work together as a unified system: ParentGrid handles parent ordering and payments, MenuGrid manages recipes and menus with supplier integration, KitchenGrid supports kitchen operations and food waste reduction, and SelfXpress provides fast checkout for secondary schools. The company pioneered online classroom pre-ordering and was the first to market with an online allergy protection system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ParentGrid: Parent ordering, payments, feedback and messaging system for schools and caterers. Supports card, cash and Direct Debit payments with allergy protection controls.
- MenuGrid
- KitchenGrid
- SelfXpress
Products and services
- ParentGrid Parent-facing ordering, payments, and communication system that allows parents to pre-order school meals online, pay by card or Direct Debit in arrears, view menus and recipes, set allergy protections, and provide feedback via star ratings and micro surveys. Designed for parents of pupils at schools and caterers using SchoolGrid.
- MenuGrid Menu and recipe management suite with nutrition analysis, supplier data integration, allergen management, and cost analysis. Functions as a drop-in replacement for systems like Saffron and Nutmeg, and is offered free for public sector caterers who are LACA Members.
- KitchenGrid Award-winning kitchen management software that helps reduce food waste, manage recipes and weigh-outs, provides kitchen communication tools (Cook's Corner chat, Compliments to the Cook), compliance logging, and performance tracking. Aimed at school kitchens and catering teams.
- SelfXpress Self-service or traditional till checkout system for secondary schools using RFID technology, with self-checkout kiosks, traditional till mode, sixth-form custom ordering, and real-time sales reporting. Supports card payments, free meal provision, and Direct Debit.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average 8.5-10% increase in meal uptake across customer base
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use SchoolGrid
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SchoolGrid technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature7 records
SchoolGrid partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- Natasha Allergy Research FoundationminorSchoolGrid supports the charity established by Nadim and Tanya Laperouse following their daughter Natasha's death from a severe allergic reaction. The charity aims to make allergy history. SchoolGrid participated in fundraising at LACA Main Event, raising £300.
- LACA (The School Food People)flagshipSchoolGrid has been a LACA Partner for six years and sponsors the annual Grab 'N' Go Challenge. They partner on industry initiatives including the Plant Based Recipe Book project. LACA is the primary industry body for school food in the UK, making this a core strategic partnership for industry visibility and credibility.
- University of LeedscorePartnership with researchers at the University of Leeds School of Food Science and Nutrition, led by Dr Hannah Ensaff, to study children's food choice in schools. A PhD researcher (Inès François) examines food choice data from primary schools over two years. The research is funded by the Economics and Social Research Council.
- WRAP (Guardians of Grub)minorSchoolGrid joined the Guardians of Grub campaign developed by WRAP to support food service businesses in reducing food waste. The partnership provides a framework for SchoolGrid to help their customers reduce wasted food.
- DABAS DatabasecoreDABAS is the Swedish food ingredient database that SchoolGrid integrates with for their Swedish market operations. The database provides nutrition and ingredient data that links through to recipes and menus in the SchoolGrid system.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SchoolGrid competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ParentPay Group: UK market-leading school payments and parent engagement platform, used across thousands of primary and secondary schools. Directly comparable to SchoolGrid's ParentGrid for online meal payments, pre-ordering, and parent communication in the same K-12 segment.
- Saffron (school catering software): Saffron is named by SchoolGrid itself as a direct incumbent that MenuGrid replaces in school caterers' operations. Saffron provides menu planning, nutrition analysis, and recipe management for education caterers, making it the closest functional peer in the UK school food software stack.
- Nutmeg (school catering software): Nutmeg is the other named incumbent that SchoolGrid explicitly positions MenuGrid as a drop-in replacement for. It serves UK school caterers with menu planning and nutrition analysis tools, overlapping directly with SchoolGrid's core menu and recipe suite.
- Scopay: UK-based cashless school payments and meal management platform used by primary and secondary schools. Competes with SchoolGrid in the parent-facing ordering and meal payment workflow, particularly for schools adopting cashless catering.
- Tucasi: UK school payment and administration provider offering online payments, meal management, and parent communication. Targets the same K-12 schools and local authority caterers as SchoolGrid, with overlapping parent ordering and cashless meal functionality.
- Nutrislice: US-headquartered school menu planning, nutrition, and parent communication platform used by K-12 districts. Directly comparable to SchoolGrid's MenuGrid and ParentGrid combined offering, with a focus on digital school menus and parent engagement.
- Cybersoft (POS/nutrition software): Provider of point-of-sale and nutrition management software for K-12 school nutrition programs in the US. Closely comparable to SchoolGrid's combined KitchenGrid and SelfXpress checkout functionality serving school nutrition operations.
- Mosaic MealViewer (by Harris School Solutions): School nutrition menu, allergen, and parent communication platform used across North American K-12 districts. Directly comparable to SchoolGrid's parent-facing menu and allergy communication workflows, adapted to the US school nutrition market.
Broad incumbents
- Sodexo (School Food Catering & Tech): One of the world's largest contract caterers operating extensively in UK schools. Comparable to SchoolGrid as a target customer segment (school caterers) and as a potential competitor, since Sodexo invests in proprietary digital kitchen, menu, and payment tools for its school operations.
Emerging players
- Wholesome School Meals / Wholesome Wave: Non-profit and adjacent ecosystem player focused on school meal access, nutrition education, and food equity. Comparable to SchoolGrid as a stakeholder in the broader school food digitization and nutrition improvement agenda, though operating via program delivery rather than SaaS.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SchoolGrid social profiles
Digital presenceSchoolGrid compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
SchoolGrid financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SchoolGrid leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SchoolGrid funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SchoolGrid M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SchoolGrid
What does SchoolGrid do?
SchoolGrid provides web-based kitchen management and school meal ordering software for primary and secondary schools, caterers, and local authorities across the UK and internationally. Their integrated suite covers parent-facing online ordering and payments, menu and recipe planning with supplier integration, kitchen operations and food waste reduction, and RFID self-checkout for secondary schools. The systems are designed to increase meal uptake, cut food costs, ensure allergen safety, and reduce administrative burden on school catering teams.
Is SchoolGrid a public or private company?
SchoolGrid is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SchoolGrid founded?
SchoolGrid was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is SchoolGrid based?
SchoolGrid is headquartered in Livingston, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SchoolGrid make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Subscription/SaaS are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and payment Processing.
Who are SchoolGrid's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ParentPay Group, Saffron (school catering software), Nutmeg (school catering software), Scopay, Tucasi, Nutrislice, Cybersoft (POS/nutrition software) and Mosaic MealViewer (by Harris School Solutions). Sodexo (School Food Catering & Tech) is listed as a broad incumbent. Wholesome School Meals / Wholesome Wave is listed as an emerging player.
Does SchoolGrid have an API?
No public API is recorded for SchoolGrid.
What industry is SchoolGrid in?
SchoolGrid's product category is School Meal Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAHAJ, Food Services Administration (Meal Eligibility, POS, Nutrition Compliance), with a secondary code of EDAEAEAD, Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets). Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8200.