Simply Lunch
Simply Lunch is a family-run UK sandwich and food-to-go manufacturer in Croydon that supplies retailers and foodservice operators nationwide via an in-house 30+ vehicle fleet and a B2B portal, offering core, vegan, halal, premium and partnership ranges under multiple sub-brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Simply Lunch does
Simply Lunch is a UK-based, family-run sandwich and food-to-go manufacturer, operating as Simply Lunch LTD (Companies House No. 03133582) from production kitchens in Croydon, South London. The company has over 45 years of operating history producing handmade sandwiches, wraps, salads, baguettes, ciabattas, hot eats, breakfast items and lunch platters from a single integrated manufacturing site. Its portfolio is organised around a core 'Simply Lunch' brand (sub-ranged into Daily Delicious, Simply Special, Hearty Hots and Breakfast Boost) and extended by sub-brands Plant Powered (vegan), BETTER (mood-boosting, carbon-labelled) and MADE (premium, customisable, carbon-rated), plus partnership ranges with Wildfarmed, Quorn and distributed brands including YO! Sushi, Fairfields Farm, Daily Dose Juices and Flawsome!. The company holds BRC Global Standard for Food Safety Grade AA, plus British Sandwich Association, STS, Sedex, Vegan Society and Good Employer Croydon accreditations.
The business operates an exclusively B2B trade model, selling to retailers, convenience operators and foodservice customers across the UK under published price-list terms, with quotations valid for 30 days and default 7-day payment terms by credit transfer. Distribution is executed via an in-house fleet of 30+ low-emission vehicles (replaced on a three-year cycle) delivering approximately 150,000 orders per year using route-optimisation technology and supplier backhauling to reduce empty runs; a B2B self-service portal (simplylunch.mezze.io) handles trade ordering and account management, and a Mailchimp-driven newsletter plus an annual Trend Report drive top-of-funnel demand. Select customers are not publicly disclosed, and the company is privately held with no disclosed investors, parent entity or revenue figure; ownership and management rest with the founding family, with Sam Page as Managing Director. Headcount sits in the 251–500 band.
Simply Lunch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Simply Lunch
- Legal name
- Simply Lunch LTD
- Website
- https://simplylunch.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Simply Lunch is a family-run UK sandwich and food-to-go manufacturer in Croydon that supplies retailers and foodservice operators nationwide via an in-house 30+ vehicle fleet and a B2B portal, offering core, vegan, halal, premium and partnership ranges under multiple sub-brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Simply Lunch industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Freshly Made Grab-and-Go (Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads) (CRAHAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals) (CRAHAKAC), Snacks & Small Bites (Protein Boxes, Snack Packs, Charcuterie Cups) (CRAHAKAH)
Keywords
Where Simply Lunch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Simply Lunch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- B2B Wholesale Food Supply: Primary revenue stream from sale of sandwiches, wraps, salads, platters, hot eats and related food-to-go products to trade buyers (retailers, operators, foodservice). Prices set per the Company's published price list; quotations valid 30 days; payment terms default to 7 days from invoice if not otherwise agreed; default payment method is credit transfer.
- Partnership Product Resale: Resale of third-party partnership products (Fairfields Farm crisps, Daily Dose Juices, YO! Sushi, Flawsome! drinks, Wildfarmed-baked ciabattas) to extend the Food-to-Go range offered to customers.
- Customisable Branded Range (MADE): Premium 'MADE by Simply Lunch' range available subject to minimum order, with activation support and customisable branding for foodservice partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based B2B trade pricing per published price list |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Simply Lunch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Simply Lunch manufactures and supplies handmade sandwiches, wraps, salads, baguettes, ciabattas, hot eats, breakfast items, fruit pots and lunch platters from its South London kitchens to UK retailers, convenience operators, contract caterers and foodservice customers under a B2B trade model with daily delivery via its own fleet. The range is organised under the Simply Lunch core brand (Daily Delicious, Simply Special, Hearty Hots, Breakfast Boost) and extended via sub-brands Plant Powered (vegan), BETTER by Simply Lunch (mood-boosting, carbon-labelled), MADE by Simply Lunch (premium, customisable), plus partnership ranges with Quorn, Wildfarmed, YO! Sushi, Fairfields Farm, Daily Dose and Flawsome!, and a Christmas seasonal range.
Product overview
Simply Lunch is a single integrated food-to-go manufacturer rather than a multi-product software platform: its offering is built around the core 'Simply Lunch' brand, organised into the four sub-ranges Daily Delicious, Simply Special, Hearty Hots and Breakfast Boost, and extended by a portfolio of named sub-brands and partner ranges — Plant Powered (vegan), BETTER by Simply Lunch (mood-boosting, carbon-rated, recyclable packaging), MADE by Simply Lunch (premium carbon-rated range), the Quorn and Wildfarmed partnership ranges, the Christmas seasonal range, and distributed partner brands (YO! Sushi, Fairfields Farm crisps, Daily Dose Juices, Flawsome! drinks). Together these brands and sub-ranges form a modular Food-to-Go portfolio supplied to retailers and foodservice operators from Simply Lunch's South London kitchens.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Plant Powered: Carbon-neutral, plant-based/vegan sandwich and food range.
- MADE by Simply Lunch
- BETTER by Simply Lunch
Quantifiable outcome
- ~150,000 deliveries per year via 30+ low-emission vehicle fleet
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Simply Lunch
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Simply Lunch technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Simply Lunch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship product partnership, major product partnership, complementary product partnership, strategic sustainability partner, charity partner, charity and wellbeing partner, long-standing charity partner, local community partner, marketing infrastructure provider and core operational technology partner.
- Wildfarmedflagship product partnershipSimply Lunch partners with Wildfarmed to use Wildfarmed regenerative flour in its ciabattas (e.g., Chicken & Chorizo Wildfarmed Ciabatta, Mozzarella & Tomato Wildfarmed Ciabatta, BBQ Pulled Pork Wildfarmed Ciabatta). The Wildfarmed standard ensures no pesticides, no river pollution, more antioxidants and a 100% traceable supply chain. The partnership is positioned as a sustainability differentiator ('better for you and better for the planet').
- Quornmajor product partnershipPartnership to offer a range of Quorn-based lunchtime classics, including a Vegetarian Sausage Stone Baked Roll. Quorn's meat-free products are used to recreate familiar flavours for operators wanting meat-free options.
- YO! Sushimajor product partnershipPartnership product range distributed by Simply Lunch including YO! Teriyaki Chicken Katsu Poke, Rainbow Salmon Poke, Chicken Katsu Bites with Dynamite Mayo, Crispy Salmon Selection, Vegan Selection, Chicken Katsu Dragon Rolls, Californian Dragon Rolls, Crispy Chicken & Duck Rolls.
- Fairfields Farm Crispscomplementary product partnershipSimply Lunch distributes Fairfields Farm hand-cooked, skin-on potato crisps (Lightly Sea Salted, Cheese & Onion, Sweet Chilli, Sea Salt & Aspall Cyder Vinegar) as part of its Food-to-Go offer.
- Daily Dose Juicescomplementary product partnershipSimply Lunch distributes Daily Dose cold-pressed juices and shots (Super Strawb, Glorious Greens, Orchard Apples, Pure Orange, Ginger Hot Shot, Turmeric Shot) to extend its Food-to-Go offer.
- Flawsome!complementary product partnershipSimply Lunch distributes Flawsome! lightly sparkling juice drinks (Apple & Strawberry, Apple & Cherry, Sweet & Sour Apple, Apple & Blackcurrent, Mango Apple & Orange, Sweet Apple).
- Ecologistrategic sustainability partnerEcologi carbon-rates the MADE by Simply Lunch range and the Plant Powered range is carbon-neutral through investment in Ecologi offsetting projects. Every MADE product is carbon rated by Ecologi, giving customers transparent carbon impact data.
- Meals & Morecharity partnerFrom 3 November to 31 December 2025, Simply Lunch donated 12 pence from every Ultimate Festive Feast sold to Meals & More (Charity No. 1179092) to support children and families in need. The partnership includes an annual Christmas event at Living Space in Waterloo.
- Mind in Croydoncharity and wellbeing partnerSimply Lunch donated £1,000 to Mind in Croydon (Charity No: 1073880), supports fundraising and volunteering, and has Mental Health Ambassadors trained by Mind in Croydon who identify signs of poor mental health and provide mental health first aid in the workplace.
- Croydon Nightwatchlong-standing charity partnerSimply Lunch has supported Croydon Nightwatch (homeless charity founded 1976) for over 15 years, providing food for the charity to distribute every evening, running a monthly volunteer rota, and organising Christmas-themed evenings with goodie bags for clients.
- Clear Community Weblocal community partnerSimply Lunch has donated over 10 devices to Clear Community Web, an organisation helping people develop digital skills. Partnership supports digital inclusion in the community.
- Mailchimpmarketing infrastructure providerMailchimp is Simply Lunch's marketing email platform; the privacy policy notes that subscriber information is transferred to Mailchimp for processing and that email open/click statistics are gathered using industry-standard technologies.
- Mezze (B2B portal)core operational technology partnerPowers the Simply Lunch trade customer login at simplylunch.mezze.io, enabling B2B customers to place orders and manage their accounts online.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Simply Lunch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Greencore Group: UK and Ireland's largest manufacturer of pre-packed sandwiches and food-to-go products for major retailers and convenience operators. Directly comparable B2B sandwich co-manufacturing model, scale and target customer base as Simply Lunch, but operating at vastly larger scale.
- Raynor Foods: UK sandwich and food-to-go manufacturer serving convenience retailers, forecourts and foodservice. Closest mid-market direct competitor to Simply Lunch in product mix, customer type and scale.
- The Bread Factory: London-based artisan bakery producing breads, sandwiches and food-to-go for retailers and foodservice. Closely comparable London heritage, B2B channel and handmade positioning to Simply Lunch, though with a different product mix.
- Fresh Direct (Sun Valley): UK supplier of sandwiches, salads and fresh food-to-go to convenience retail, foodservice and contract caterers. Direct comparable in B2B sandwich supply, daily delivery model and target customer segments, though at a larger regional scale.
Broad incumbents
- Bakkavor Group: Large UK-listed prepared-food manufacturer serving major supermarkets with meals, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Comparable B2B co-manufacturing and food-to-go exposure, but across a much wider product portfolio than Simply Lunch.
- 2 Sisters Food Group: Major UK food manufacturer with significant sandwich, salads and convenience-food operations supplying retailers and foodservice. Broad portfolio overlap with Simply Lunch's food-to-go range but at substantially greater scale and with multiple categories.
- Samworth Brothers (Adelie Foods): UK food manufacturer whose Adelie Foods business supplies sandwiches, wraps, salads and food-to-go products to retailers. Overlapping product categories and B2B customer base with Simply Lunch, but embedded in a wider prepared-foods group.
- Cranswick plc: UK food producer with a prepared-foods and convenience range serving major grocers. Comparable B2B supply model and quality-accreditation focus, though Cranswick is significantly larger and more diversified.
- Delifrance UK: UK sandwich, bakery and food-to-go manufacturer serving retailers, forecourts and travel channels. Comparable B2B food-to-go supply model to Simply Lunch, but as part of a wider international bakery group.
Emerging players
- Charlie Bigham's: Premium UK ready-meal and food-to-go brand. Comparable premiumisation and B2B/retail distribution trajectory, though focused on chilled prepared meals rather than sandwiches, with a stronger consumer brand presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Simply Lunch social profiles
Digital presenceSimply Lunch compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Simply Lunch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Simply Lunch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Simply Lunch subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Simply Lunch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Simply Lunch 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 Simply Lunch
What does Simply Lunch do?
Simply Lunch manufactures and supplies handmade sandwiches, wraps, salads, baguettes, ciabattas, hot eats, breakfast items, fruit pots and lunch platters from its South London kitchens to UK retailers, convenience operators, contract caterers and foodservice customers under a B2B trade model with daily delivery via its own fleet. The range is organised under the Simply Lunch core brand (Daily Delicious, Simply Special, Hearty Hots, Breakfast Boost) and extended via sub-brands Plant Powered (vegan), BETTER by Simply Lunch (mood-boosting, carbon-labelled), MADE by Simply Lunch (premium, customisable), plus partnership ranges with Quorn, Wildfarmed, YO! Sushi, Fairfields Farm, Daily Dose and Flawsome!, and a Christmas seasonal range.
Is Simply Lunch a public or private company?
Simply Lunch is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Simply Lunch founded?
Simply Lunch was founded in 1979. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Simply Lunch based?
Simply Lunch is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Simply Lunch make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. B2B Wholesale Food Supply is the primary driver. The others are partnership Product Resale and customisable Branded Range (MADE).
Who are Simply Lunch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Greencore Group, Raynor Foods, The Bread Factory and Fresh Direct (Sun Valley). Broad incumbents are Bakkavor Group, 2 Sisters Food Group, Samworth Brothers (Adelie Foods), Cranswick plc and Delifrance UK. Charlie Bigham's is listed as an emerging player.
Does Simply Lunch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Simply Lunch.
What industry is Simply Lunch in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAKAA, Freshly Made Grab-and-Go (Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads), with a secondary code of CRAHAKAC, Cold Prepared Foods & Meal Components (Sides, Proteins, Family Meals). Its NAICS code is 311412 and its SIC code is 2000.