Foodservice Central jobs board aims to connect industry experts

Foodservice Central is a new job board supporting those in the foodservice, wholesale and manufacturing sectors who have recently found themselves out of work.

The new initiative is the brainchild of Paul Knight and Phil Hutchinson-May, who between them have more than 50 years knowledge of the foodservice industry.

Knight explained: “The foodservice recruitment marketplace is highly fragmented. There is no one place to find vacancies within the sector. Distributors and manufacturers want to easily access the best talent to drive their performance. Equally candidates are looking for roles and want a central website where they can access any current vacancies within the foodservice sector all in one place.”

“The aftermath of Covid-19 has seen many businesses affected, but in particular, the pandemic has severely affected the foodservice sector and those in its supply chain, with sales expected to be down 56%. Analysts including McKinsey state it will not be until 2023 that we return to post-pandemic foodservice sales. That would require a growth of to 18% per annum from here on in and this growth means opportunity and jobs.”

“Foodservice Central aims to be the conduit between foodservice specialists looking to advance their career, and foodservice manufacturers and distributors looking to recruit employees with a passion for foodservice.”

Co-founder Hutchinson-May added: “The great thing about Foodservice Central is that we’re niche and our platform will allow clients to save time by attracting more targeted candidates.

"We know everyone in the industry has a passion for foodservice and a desire to stay within it. Working with clients, we will build a vibrant place for high-quality foodservice candidates to engage and find the best selection of jobs and career support.”

The job board will also provide a central location for trainers and charities to list their development courses and training.