Q Catering Supplies

What Q Catering Supplies does

Q Catering Supplies Ltd is a privately held, UK-based independent food and drink wholesaler headquartered in Sittingbourne, Kent, serving caterers, restaurants, hotels, cafes, charities and organisations across Kent and the South East of England. Founded in 2003, the company distributes over 3,000 product lines spanning fresh, frozen, chilled, ambient and non-food categories, and operates its own delivery fleet offering next-day delivery on orders placed by 9:45PM. Trade accounts with credit facilities and a £100 minimum order value form the core commercial structure, with acquisition channels including telesales, a mobile app, and the third-party Choco B2B ordering platform.

The company's core technology asset is the My Q mobile ordering platform, available on iOS and Android, which supports order placement via app, WhatsApp, text, email and Word/Excel file submissions, and includes live chat support, order history tracking, saved favourites and account self-service. Distribution is conducted through Q's own regional delivery fleet. In November 2024, Q acquired RJKingsland&Son (Kingslands), a 60-year-old supplier of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, dairy and bread products, extending the company's range into fresh fruit, vegetables and fine foods while positioning Kingslands as a retained sub-brand within the Q portfolio.

Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale product sales to approved trade accounts on a pay-as-you-go basis, supplemented by recurring trade account relationships that include credit facilities. The company markets itself as "Kent's only true independent supplier" with over 20 years of regional heritage, and supports customer acquisition through a structured three-step trade onboarding process (registration, credit check, account activation) plus dedicated account managers. No external funding, institutional investors or public listings are disclosed in the source material.

Name

Q Catering Supplies

Legal name

Q Catering Supplies Ltd

Website

https://qcatering.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Q Catering Supplies is an independent UK food and drink wholesaler based in Sittingbourne, Kent, distributing over 3,000 product lines to caterers, restaurants, hotels, cafes and organisations across Kent and the South East via its My Q ordering platform and own delivery fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice Cash-and-Carry (Restaurants/Caterers) (CRAHACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Catering Logistics & Delivery Management (HSACAGAK)

Keywords

• Food wholesale supply
• Catering supplies
• Foodservice distribution
• Wholesale groceries
• Fresh produce supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Sittingbourne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food & Drink Wholesale: Wholesale supply of food and drink products across fresh, frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food categories. Revenue generated through product sales with minimum order value of £100. Trade accounts offer credit options.
2. Trade Account Services: Trade accounts providing wholesale pricing, reliable delivery, and credit facilities to approved business customers including businesses, charities and organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Q Catering Supplies is a UK-based independent food wholesale distributor that supplies over 3,000 product lines across fresh, frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food categories to foodservice businesses in Kent and the South East of England. The company sells and delivers wholesale food and drink products to trade customers (restaurants, hotels, cafes, catering companies, charities, and organisations) under a trade account model with next-day delivery via its own fleet, supported by a multi-channel ordering platform (My Q mobile app, WhatsApp, SMS, email, telesales, and online).

Product overview

Q Catering Supplies operates as a single unified wholesale platform offering over 3,000 product lines across fresh, frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food categories. The core product is the My Q ordering portal/app, which enables customers to place orders through multiple channels (WhatsApp, texts, emails, and the app itself). Supporting the platform are periodic brochures (Solutions, Festive, Taste Seasonal, and Product Guide) that provide promotional offers, seasonal inspiration, and the full product catalog. The company also maintains Kingslands as a sub-brand for fresh produce, dairy, and artisanal foods, acquired to expand the fresh category offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kingslands: Fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, dairy and bread products, and other fine foods from trusted local and international suppliers. Part of Q Catering's portfolio.
• My Q

Products and services

• Food and Drink Wholesale Supply Wholesale supply of food and drink products across fresh, frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food categories (over 3,000 product lines) to trade customers in Kent and the South East of England, with next-day delivery for orders placed before 9:45PM via the company's own fleet. Sold under a trade account model with a £100 minimum order value.
• My Q Ordering Platform Proprietary mobile ordering platform and account portal for trade customers to place orders via the iOS/Android app, WhatsApp, SMS, email, Word/Excel file upload, or online, with live chat support, order history, saved favourites, and account management features. Available free to approved trade account customers.
• Kingslands Fresh Produce and Artisanal Foods Wholly-owned sub-brand offering fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, dairy and bread products, and other fine foods sourced from trusted local and international suppliers. Acquired to make Kingslands a one-stop supplier for foodservice fresh needs, purchasable as part of the Q Catering order.
• Trade Account Services Three-step onboarding service (registration, credit check, account activation) for businesses, charities, and organisations to access wholesale pricing, reliable next-day delivery, credit facilities, and a dedicated account manager at the Sittingbourne, Kent headquarters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Order by 9:45PM for next day delivery

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• KingslandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingslands has served the catering sector for over 60 years with a focus on quality, traceability, and food safety. Now proudly part of Q, it offers fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, dairy and bread products, and other fine foods from trusted local and international suppliers. Customers can now purchase fresh fruit and vegetables through Q, making Kingslands a one-stop supplier for all foodservice needs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Booker Group: Largest UK foodservice and retail wholesale group, part of Tesco. Operates the same core trade-wholesale model as Q Catering at vastly greater scale, serving caterers, pubs, and restaurants across the country.
• Bidfood: Leading UK foodservice distributor serving caterers, restaurants, pubs, and care homes. Comparable breadth of fresh, frozen, chilled, and ambient categories, but with national depot network rather than regional focus.
• Brakes Group: Major UK foodservice wholesaler supplying restaurants, caterers, and hospitality operators. Direct overlap with Q Catering's customer base and product categories, with broader national coverage and larger procurement scale.

Direct peers

• Caterforce: Buying group and foodservice wholesaler network representing regional independent wholesalers. Operates a similar independent-wholesale model to Q Catering and competes for the same regional caterer customer pool.
• Creed Foodservice: Independent family-owned foodservice wholesaler serving the hospitality industry across the Midlands and Southern England. Comparable independent positioning, customer base, and category mix to Q Catering.
• Blakemore Foodservice: UK foodservice wholesaler supplying restaurants, pubs, schools, and caterers with multi-category ambient, chilled, and frozen ranges. Direct comparable in product mix and customer segments, with broader geographic reach.
• Total Foodservice: Independent foodservice wholesaler with regional depot network supplying restaurants, hotels, schools, and care homes. Comparable multi-category offering and independent-trade positioning to Q Catering.
• JJ Foodservice: UK foodservice wholesaler with strong digital ordering platform and multi-temperature offering across fresh, frozen, chilled, and ambient. Closest comparable in business model to Q Catering, including app-based ordering and next-day delivery.
• Reynolds Catering Supplies: Regional foodservice wholesaler supplying caterers, restaurants, and hospitality businesses in the South East of England. Closest geographic peer to Q Catering with overlapping customer base in Kent-adjacent counties.

Regional players

• Countrywide Catering: UK foodservice supplier operating across categories relevant to Q Catering's customer set. Smaller-scale regional wholesaler with comparable focus on independent caterers and hospitality operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/qcatering.uk
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/q-catering-supplies-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/qcatering
• Xx.com/qcatering_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Q Catering Supplies