Dec 22, 2025
2025 was the year contract catering accelerated. Deals got bigger. Workplace dining reshaped itself. Loyalty matured. ESG became operational. Robotics moved from novelty to necessity. And AI finally stopped being theory and started touching real workflows.
Since February, Served. has spoken with founders, executives, consultants and operators across contract catering to understand what is really changing - and what matters most going into 2026.
Here are the clearest lessons from every Served. episode this year. Short, sharp and easy to explore deeper.
1. Bill Toner: Reputation compounds faster than growth
In our conversation with Bill Toner , the former Chief Executive of CH&CO, he made the point that their 475 million pound exit was powered far more by reputation than by spreadsheets. Cultural fit, transparent intent and care for people meant founders often wanted to work with CH&CO before any negotiation began.
Reputation is not branding. It is earned over years of consistent behaviour.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/story-behind-475-million-contract-catering-exit-bill-toner-kanpla-t7u5f
2. Henrik Jarleskog: Design for real demand, not assumed demand
Henrik Jarleskog, former Head of Strategy for Sodexo Workplace, made it clear that post-pandemic work patterns are here to stay. Workplace catering cannot be built around static assumptions. True demand intelligence is now central.
If you do not understand how people work, you cannot design how to feed them.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-work-workplace-dining-insights-from-henrik-jarleskog-sodexo-bzsmf
3. Chris Chidley: APAC shows where the industry is heading
Chris Chidley, CEO of Compass Group APAC, described a region running ahead of the curve. Digital-first expectations, rapid economic growth and diverse formats make APAC a preview of the next era of contract catering.
If you want to understand the future of this industry, watch APAC closely.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evolution-contract-catering-insights-from-chris-chidley-compass-bmddf
4. Behind the Bid: Delivery wins tenders, not decks
Our panel of consultants - Chris Stern, Peer van Gurp and Simon Elliot - agreed that bids are rarely won on the day of the pitch. Strong slides are hygiene. What wins is proof of delivery, risk clarity and a believable operating model backed by references and consistency.
You can’t gloss your way past weak delivery. Clients always see through it.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/behind-bid-what-really-wins-catering-tenders-2025-kanpla-p2sff
5. Annual Reports: Scale is winning, but independents still have an edge
In our breakdown of Compass Group, Sodexo, Aramark and Elior's annual reports, Peter Baech walked through the numbers. The giants are extending their lead, and digital plus sustainability are now basic expectations.
But independents who double down on agility, intimacy and partnership still win meaningful contracts. Scale gives power. Independence gives closeness.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/behind-numbers-what-annual-reports-compass-sodexo-aramark-elior-iovbf
6. George Gee on Loyalty: Loyalty is a choice, not a transaction
George Gee (CLMP™), the strategist behind Costa Coffee’s loyalty engine, dismantled the myth that loyalty equals free rewards. Loyalty in workplace dining is the conscious decision to stay on site when alternatives are everywhere.
Recognition and relevance matter far more than points.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/more-than-just-free-coffee-why-contract-caterers-need-loyalty-george-xftcf
7. Gina Camfield: ESG only matters when it shapes operations
Gina Camfield, Head of ESG, Aramark UK & Global Offshore, walked through their eight-pillar ESG model with Eline Henriksen. ESG becomes valuable only when it embeds itself into sourcing, menu design, reporting and frontline habits.
ESG creates value when it becomes operational, not aspirational.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-esg-pay-off-turning-operational-challenges-gold-gina-camfield-ov1cf
8. Catharine Barras: Careers accelerate when you raise your hand early
In our conversation with Catharine Barras, VP for Global Strategic Accounts at Sodexo, she shared how her path from sandwich prep to global leadership came from volunteering early, asking for opportunities, and stepping forward before feeling ready.
Visibility is not arrogance. It is strategy.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-sandwiches-c-suite-catharine-barras-leadership-global-contracts-8gfgf
9. Tony Johnson: Hospitality is the emotional glue
Tony Johnson, CCXP, former Chief Experience Officer at Aramark and co founder of 4xi Global Consulting, drew a clear line between service, experience and hospitality. Service is functional. Experience is designed. Hospitality is emotional.
Clients stay because of how guests feel, not just how food tastes.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/customer-experience-sticks-lessons-from-former-aramark-cxo-4xis-joi0f
10. M&A in Catering: Trust decides who gets bought
In a detailed conversation with Graeme Smith from AlixPartners and Ruston Toms FIH, founder of Blue Apple Workplace Catering, we saw both sides of catering M&A. Deals work when the numbers make sense and when the buyer is trusted to protect culture, teams and client relationships.
Founders don’t just sell their business. They sell their legacy.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ma-contract-catering-behind-deals-shaping-industry-kanpla-h5t2f
11. Simon Houston: Independence can be a strategy
Simon Houston FIH and Dave Hawkes built Houston & Hawkes by refusing investor-driven shortcuts. Independence lets them pick clients carefully, stay culturally tight and operate with clarity and intention.
Independence wins when it becomes part of the guest experience.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/founder-story-building-houston-hawkes-purpose-people-pandemic-eqdlf
12. Christian Lunner: Robotics works when it removes pressure
Christian Lunner, CEO of SERWIZ, approached robotics with refreshing realism. Robots stay only if they reduce physical strain, remove repetitive tasks and free staff for hospitality. No gimmicks. No toys. No PR stunts.
Robotics becomes meaningful when it makes work easier, not louder.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/founder-story-from-global-giant-danish-challenger-how-christian-eivpf
13. The role of the chef is expanding, not disappearing
In the latest Served. episode, Daniel Wilson from BaxterStorey and Alistair MacDonald from The University of Edinburgh explored what it really means to be a chef today. The role is moving beyond the pass into leadership, mentoring, culture and responsibility for people and standards.
The chefs who thrive in 2026 will be those who combine craft with clarity, creativity with structure and pride with long-term thinking.
Link to full episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-really-means-chef-today-where-role-headed-next-kanpla-frine
The Year That Changed the Pace
Across all 13 episodes, three themes appeared again and again
Trust drives everything: deals, tenders, loyalty and long-term partnerships
Technology is becoming operational: AI, digital, ESG and robotics now solve real problems
Differentiation matters: giants win on scale, independents win on intimacy, and founders win on clarity
2025 wasn’t just another year in contract catering. It was a turning point. And 2026 will belong to the operators who move with clarity, build loyalty through experience and embed technology where it truly counts.
Served. will be here to document the people, ideas and shifts shaping what comes next.
