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The winner of the Healthcare Caterer of the Year Catey demonstrated how fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration can drive creative solutions that enhance the lives of customers.

Caterplus, which is part of the Elior group, works with more than 300 residential care homes, children centres, assisted and independent living settings, charitable communities as well as 16 hospitals. From the sourcing of local and seasonal products to the delivery of plates to tables, Caterplus’s development chefs and dietitians ensure meals are not only delicious but that the team supports customers’ health and social needs, be it specialised dietary requirements, such as dementia and dysphagia,or by helping to ward off loneliness.

A focus on ensuring all team members understand clients’ needs has also led to a partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, which will see every team member trained as a Dementia Friend by 2024, while many have established Dementia Cafés in their workplaces.

A collaboration with Age UK has also seen the deployment of ‘In the Residents’ Shoes’ training resources, which help teams understand ailments in ageing residents and provide insight into the challenges they bring within a catering environment. In addition, working with the National Activity Providers Association has promoted activities and environment adaptations that reduce loneliness.

Technological enhancements are also allowing teams to focus on interacting with residents, including the introduction of autonomous delivery robots to assist with day-to-day restaurant service. Meanwhile, augmented reality has been harnessed as a training tool around texture-modified foods, bringing residents’ experiences to life for the caterer’s teams.

Caterplus’ Breaz app is also evolving the customer experience across its estate by speeding up cashless and queueless transactions and offering features such as click-and-collect and delivery to apartments.

Food initiatives have the launch of ‘Cake Shakes’, drinks with 14 different flavours including mince pie and cherry bakewell to aid weight gain in the care sector, while in the hospital sector ‘Mustn’t Crumble’ allows customers to build and personalise a fruit crumble pudding.

Caterplus has also launched an intergenerational campaign with Elior’s education division to connect schools and retirement communities and released £100,000 of funding to provide apprenticeships for smaller businesses in care and hospitality sectors. In response to the cost of living crisis Caterplus has launched a number of initiatives such as £2 hot meals to support NHS workers at Nottingham University Hospital Trust and a homeowner’s subscription on its ‘pay as you dine’ over-55s independent living schemes to ensure relatives can feel confident residents receive a hot nutritional meal every day.

It’s no wonder our judges said “the innovation and thinking around products and services on offer at a local level was inspiring”.

What the judges said

“An outstanding submission clearly showing how Caterplus delivers person-centred services. The innovation and thinking at a local level was inspiring and I was also impressed by the commitment to the wider sector. A superb submission and huge congratulations to all.” Neel Radia

The shortlist

Caterplus

Signature Dining

Sodexo

Past winners

2022 Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Neller Davies and BM

2021 Signature Dining

2019 Sunrise Senior Living

2018 St Monica Trust

2017 Gracewell Healthcare

2016 St Andrew’s Healthcare

2015 Sunrise Senior Living

2014 ISS Healthcare

2013 Elior UK