What Caterfood does

Caterfood (South West) Ltd. is a privately held, third-generation family-run wholesale foodservice distributor headquartered in Paignton, Devon. Founded in 1970, the company supplies frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food products to professional caterers — including restaurants, pubs, cafes, care homes, schools, and event venues — across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, and Bristol in the South West of England. It operates within the Caterfood Buying Group, an affiliation of independent distributors that grants access to the exclusive Caterfood Collection own-brand range and collective purchasing power.

The business is built around a multi-channel ordering platform: a 24/7 web-based MyCaterfood portal with a dedicated iOS and Android app, supported by a staffed telesales department with extended hours. Logistics are managed in-house via a self-maintained delivery fleet (acquired through Motec South West in 2012), offering next-day delivery six days a week with no minimum order requirement, supplemented by features such as barcode scanning, driver sign-on-glass verification, and internal business intelligence systems introduced in 2015. The company holds BRC certification in storage and distribution (2014) and emphasizes local supplier partnerships (Cornish Sea Salt, Devon ice cream, Yarde Farm, Hunts Cider, Salcombe Gin).

Revenue is generated through transaction-based wholesale distribution on credit-account terms (typically due by the 15th of the month following invoice), with no minimum order threshold. The customer base is highly fragmented SMB hospitality, with a handful of mid-market accounts. The company also produces Infuse, a quarterly trade magazine, and operates sector-specific programs for care homes (including IDDSI-compliant texture-modified meals via Simply Food Solutions) and education catering. Notable acquisitions include Tamar Valley Ice Cream (renamed Yarde Farm, 2008), Quality Cuisine South West Ltd (2010), and Motec South West (2012), alongside infrastructure investments including an 8,000 sq/ft ambient storage expansion in 2017.

Name

Caterfood

Legal name

Caterfood (South West) Ltd.

Website

https://caterfood.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Caterfood is a third-generation, family-owned wholesale foodservice distributor based in Paignton, Devon, supplying frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food products to hospitality businesses across the South West of England via its MyCaterfood online platform, telesales, and own next-day delivery fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Food Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated/Chilled Foods Wholesale (Deli, Prepared, Fresh Pasta, etc.) (AFAIAHAB)

Keywords

• Wholesale food distribution
• Catering supplies
• Hospitality wholesale
• Frozen foods supplier
• Foodservice distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Paignton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

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. Wholesale Food Distribution: Caterfood generates revenue through the sale of frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food products to professional caterers. The company operates on a wholesale distribution model with no minimum order requirements and offers credit accounts with payment terms due by the 15th of the month following invoice date.
2. Caterfood Buying Group Membership: Caterfood is part of the Caterfood Buying Group, providing collective purchasing power and exclusive own-brand products through the Caterfood Collection range.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caterfood is a wholesale food distributor that supplies frozen, chilled, ambient, and non-food products to professional caterers and hospitality businesses across the South West of England. The company operates the MyCaterfood 24/7 online ordering platform with a mobile app, the Caterfood Collection own-brand product range, and a telesales department, offering next-day delivery 6 days a week with no minimum order requirement and credit accounts.

Product overview

Caterfood is a wholesale food distributor serving Devon, Cornwall and the South West of England. The company operates as a unified offering combining its core MyCaterfood online ordering platform (web and mobile app) with its own-brand Caterfood Collection range, complemented by sector-specific solutions including care home catering guides, dysphagia-compliant meals, and professional cleaning supplies. The business also offers a quarterly industry magazine (Infuse), operates a telesales department, and provides next-day delivery services. Key product categories include fresh, chilled, frozen, and ambient foods, non-food items, vegan, gluten-free, and locally sourced products from regional suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MyCaterfood Online Ordering Platform A 24/7 online ordering platform accessible via web browser and mobile app (iOS and Android) that enables professional caterers to place, manage, and reorder wholesale food supplies with live pricing, stock availability, allergen data, invoice tracking, and credit reports.
• The Caterfood Collection (Own-Brand Range) An own-brand product range of hundreds of carefully selected core food products, taste-tested and hand-picked by the Caterfood buying team for quality and value, available exclusively to Caterfood Buying Group members.
• Infuse Magazine
• Professional Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies
• Simply Puree (IDDSI-Compliant Texture-Modified Meals)
• Wine Cellar Range Wine range added to the Caterfood product offering in 2016, complementing the foodservice portfolio for hospitality and catering customers.
• Yarde Farm Ice Cream Ice cream products from Yarde Farm, the brand acquired by Caterfood in 2008 when it purchased Tamar Valley Ice Cream and renamed the business.
• Triple F Chips (Fylde Fresh & Fabulous)
• Next-Day Delivery Service
• Trade Credit Account Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Next-day delivery service area covering Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, and Bristol
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RML MeatscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Formed a meat partnership with RML Meats in 2012, providing Caterfood with quality meat products for distribution to their customer base.
• Kingfisher (Brixham)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh fish sourced from sister company Kingfisher Brixham. Kingfisher is a separate business entity that supplies fresh seafood products to Caterfood.
• Fylde Fresh & Fabulous (Triple F Chips)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Fylde Fresh & Fabulous for Triple F Chips - quality fresh peeled potato and chip supplier with BRC Food Accredited and Red Tractor Assured certification. National coverage supplying freshly peeled potatoes and chips to food service providers.
• Simply Food SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based specialist in high-quality frozen food supporting healthcare, catering and foodservice. Provides IDDSI-compliant texture-modified meals (Simply Puree), specialist solutions for allergies and clinical diets (Simply Healthcare), and internationally inspired range (Simply Worldfoods). Halal certified products available.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Henderson Foodservice: Regional UK/Ireland foodservice wholesaler with a similar customer base of caterers, hospitality, and care homes. Comparable business model and vertical specialization, with broader geographic coverage and larger scale.
• Brakes Group: Major UK foodservice distributor owned by Sysco, serving caterers, pubs, restaurants, and care homes. Closely comparable business model and customer base to Caterfood, with national rather than regional coverage and broader product range.
• Creed Foodservice: UK foodservice distributor serving caterers, restaurants, and care homes across multiple regions. Comparable customer segments and service model to Caterfood, with larger scale and multi-region coverage.
• JJ Foodservice: Online-led UK foodservice wholesaler serving restaurants and caterers with a technology-forward ordering experience. Comparable customer base and category to Caterfood, but with a stronger digital-first proposition and broader geographic reach.
• Bidfood UK: UK's largest foodservice wholesaler, part of Bidcorp. Distributes to caterers, restaurants, and hospitality operators nationwide — directly comparable to Caterfood's customer base and wholesale distribution model, but at materially larger national scale.

Broad incumbents

• Foodbuy (Compass Group): Procurement arm of Compass Group, one of the largest foodservice buyers in the UK. Indirect competitor to Caterfood for institutional and contract catering supply, though primarily serving Compass Group's captive client base.
• Booker Wholesale: UK's largest cash-and-carry operator (Tesco-owned) serving caterers, retailers, and small businesses. Overlaps with Caterfood in catering supply but operates a much broader cash-and-carry trade-retail model with nationwide presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/caterfoodsw

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Caterfood