What Holroyd Howe does

Holroyd Howe is a UK-headquartered contract caterer founded in 1997 by Nick Howe and Rick Holroyd, operating exclusively in the independent school sector across England, Scotland, and Wales. The company serves over 220 schools through dedicated on-site catering teams that prepare fresh, seasonal food daily in school kitchens rather than reheating or delivering pre-made meals. Its portfolio spans four school segments — Pre-Prep & Prep, Senior, Sixth Form, and Boarding — with bespoke menus tailored to each school's culture and pupil demographics, plus ancillary offerings including branded café concepts (delivered via sister WSH Group company Benugo), food trucks, event catering, and a library of in-house nutrition education programmes (Mission Nutrition, Flavour Detectives, Eat-Ducate, Go with the Flo).

The operating technology is deliberately low-tech and physical: chefs are trained to an AfN-accredited standard via the Mission Nutrition programme, menus are planned and costed on the Nutritics platform, and allergen management is handled through an in-house Allergy Champion system with pink-badge identification and plated meal preparation. Underlying ESG and compliance infrastructure is comparatively advanced for the sector — SBTi-validated Net Zero 2040 targets, Food for Life Bronze across all schools, RSPCA Assured for eggs and milk, and SEDEX-based supplier ethical auditing — functioning as procurement and retention assets rather than standalone products.

Commercially, Holroyd Howe sells multi-year outsourced catering contracts via a relationship-led B2B sales motion: Joint Managing Directors Scott Morley and Robin Bidgood engage directly with school Bursars, Heads, and Finance Directors, supported by a business development team and event-based community engagement (Rosslyn Park partnership, school pop-ups). Revenue is generated through managed-service contract fees covering food, staffing, and service delivery, augmented by retail café sales (e.g., £1,000+/day at Stowe) and event catering. Pricing is contract-based and not publicly disclosed; advertised internal salaries imply a labour-cost base in the £12.70–£57,000 range across operational roles. The company is a privately held UK limited company (No. 03319291) operating within the WSH Group, which also owns Benugo.

Name

Holroyd Howe

Legal name

Holroyd Howe Limited

Website

https://holroydhowe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Holroyd Howe is a UK contract caterer founded in 1997 that exclusively serves over 220 independent schools, providing on-site fresh food preparation, nutrition-led menus, allergen management, and branded café concepts via sister company Benugo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Catering Services

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (72231), Food Service Contractors (722310), Special Food Services (7223), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Service & Dining Operations Management (Managed Cafeterias) (EDAEALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-House Cafeteria Operations & Meal Preparation (EDAEAEAA), Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD), Vending, Kiosk & À La Carte Food Programs (On-Campus Retail) (EDAEAEAI), Catering for School Events & Functions (On-Campus Catering) (EDAEAEAH)

Keywords

• Contract catering services
• Independent school catering
• School meal provision
• Food service management
• Nutrition education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Contract Catering Services: Outsourced catering contracts with independent schools. Fresh food prepared on-site daily. Revenue generated through contract fees covering food costs, staffing, and service delivery. Additional revenue streams include retail food concepts (cafés, coffee bars), event catering, and food truck operations.
2. Retail Food Concepts: Additional income generation through on-site retail food and drink concepts including café concepts, pop-up coffee bars. Example: Benugo café at Stowe School generates over £1,000 in sales per day.
3. Event Catering: Catering services for school events, community occasions, sports fixtures. Branded food trucks extend catering capability to outdoor events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Holroyd Howe is a specialist UK contract caterer exclusively serving over 220 independent schools, providing freshly prepared meals on-site daily by employed chefs across Pre-Prep, Senior, Sixth Form, and Boarding environments. The offering includes bespoke menus shaped by qualified nutritionists, allergen management, retail food concepts (Benugo cafés, branded food trucks), and nutrition education programmes such as Eat-Ducate, Flavour Detectives, Go with the Flo, and the Association for Nutrition-accredited Mission Nutrition training.

Product overview

Holroyd Howe is a specialist contract caterer providing freshly prepared, nutritious food exclusively to independent schools in the UK. The core offering is on-site catering services across Pre-Prep & Prep Schools, Senior Schools, Sixth Form, and Boarding Schools, with food prepared daily by trained chefs. The portfolio includes nutrition services (menu planning, education programs like Eat-Ducate and Go with the Flo), allergen management systems, innovation-driven menu development, and retail concepts (Benugo café, food trucks). The company operates on a partnership model, customizing services to each school's needs while maintaining group-wide standards through Mission Nutrition training and Food for Life Bronze certification across all sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent School Catering Full-service on-site contract catering for independent schools across Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form, and Boarding segments. Fresh food is prepared daily on-site by trained, employed chefs, with bespoke menus tailored to each school's culture and pupil needs. Covers breakfast, lunch, supper, and weekend dining where required.
• Benugo Café Concept Branded high-street style café concept introduced in partnership schools through sister company Benugo within the WSH Group (e.g., Stowe School, Brentwood School Sixth Form areas), generating additional school-side revenue such as over £1,000 per day at Stowe School.
• Retail Food Concepts
• Catering Food Truck

Quantifiable outcome

• 41% reduction in food waste achieved across schools
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered new, minor, flagship and core.

• Haileybury SchoolnewOthers · 1 April 2025New partnership announced April 2025 to bring Holroyd Howe's fresh, pupil-focused food approach to the school, enriching the whole community's dining experience.
• Seedball UKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2023Non-profit company providing wildflower and herb seedballs for Planting for Pollinators initiative. Native UK seeds, peat-free compost, recyclable packaging. Partnership with Bidfood to gift seedball packs to schools supporting local pollinator awareness.
• BidfoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 March 2023Wholesale supplier partner for the Planting for Pollinators initiative. Gift packs distributed through Bidfood to support schools in looking after local pollinators.
• Rosslyn Park National Schools SevensflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 February 2023Three-year partnership as supporting partner of the world's largest school rugby tournament. Accredited nutritionists host sports nutrition workshops for spectators, staff, and athletes. Shares specialist sports nutrition expertise with wider audience at this prestigious event.
• UnseencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UK charity providing safehouses and support for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. Operates UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline. Holroyd Howe is a Business Hub member since 2023, accessing bespoke services for tackling human exploitation risk across supply chain.
• BenugocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within WSH Group providing café concepts for school partnerships. Benugo café introduced at Stowe School and Brentwood School Sixth Form areas, creating distinctive café identities generating revenue (£1,000+/day at Stowe). Brings high-street comfort and contemporary feel to school hospitality.
• City of London SchoolsflagshipOthers12-year sustainability partnership with carbon-aware menus where every dish is scored for carbon impact. Food waste reduction through monitoring and review. Circular waste initiative turning plate waste into compost for onsite growing. Eco Group 'One Change a Month' pupil collaboration.
• Anaphylaxis UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting pupils at risk of serious allergic reactions. Promotes allergy awareness and safe practices. Holroyd Howe an Allergy Ally supporting Wear It Bright for Anaphylaxis Awareness campaigns.
• Waste KnotminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSurplus produce rescue partnership supporting British farmers. 'Wonky' surplus vegetables used in school kitchens, promoting responsible sourcing and reducing food waste.
• RSPCA AssuredcoreOthersAccreditation for eggs and 2L milk containers ensuring higher welfare standards. Working towards Red Tractor standards for meat and MSC certification for fish.
• NutriticscoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital platform for effective planning and costing of recipes and menus. Used by nutrition team and chefs for menu development and nutritional analysis.
• Food for Life / Soil AssociationcoreOthersFood for Life Served Here Bronze accreditation achieved across all Holroyd Howe schools. Recognises freshly prepared meals, sustainable sourcing, and food education commitment.
• Coeliac UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting and advocating for pupils with coeliac disease. Provides guidance for allergen management and dietary accommodations for gluten-free requirements.
• Investors in PeoplecoreOthersAccreditation for rewarding and recognising employees. Holroyd Howe has achieved Silver accreditation, demonstrating commitment to people development and workplace excellence.
• SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange)coreTechnology or IntegrationEthical data exchange platform for supplier due diligence. Holroyd Howe working towards 100% SEDEX or equivalent registration for strategic supply partners. Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs) capture supplier policies and certifications.
• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) EnglandminorOthersMental health first aid training provider. Holroyd Howe colleagues trained in eating disorder awareness and mental health support.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sodexo Education: Global contract caterer with a dedicated education segment serving schools and universities across multiple countries. Directly comparable as outsourced food service provider to educational institutions, though at much larger scale and broader portfolio than Holroyd Howe's independent school focus.
• Chartwells (Compass Group):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HolroydHowe
• Facebookfacebook.com/Holroyd-Howe-2166172133395794

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holroyd Howe