Member Spotlight Roundup: Adapting to a Changing Catering Landscape

Rising costs, staffing challenges and changing customer expectations have made the last few years challenging for many independent caterers. But our members continue to find new ways to adapt, protect quality and build sustainable businesses.

We’ve looked back at some of our recent Member Spotlights to see how different caterers are responding to the challenges facing the industry.

Greek Gourmet: Doing Less, But Doing It Better

For Greek Gourmet, rising energy and labour costs have meant making some difficult decisions, including significantly reducing the menu.

Rather than trying to offer more, Markos has focused on doing fewer things exceptionally well.

“I would rather do fewer things and do them properly than keep expanding a menu that requires more staff and ultimately destroys the profitability of the business.”

The result is a much simpler operation, with just four core menu items in the shop and three at festivals.

Markos has also made the difficult decision to step back from some festivals to protect the consistency and quality of the business.

“You cannot be everywhere at the same time. Growth without people you can genuinely trust is not always growth.”

Read Greek Gourmet’s story >>

Kiernan’s Coffee: Finding Efficiencies

Kiernan’s Coffee has seen costs increase across almost every area of the business, from ingredients and fuel to packaging and equipment.

Rather than compromising on quality, Tom has focused on pricing carefully while finding ways to make the business more efficient.

“We’ve become much more focused on efficiency, supplier relationships and reducing waste, so we’re protecting our margins without compromising on quality.”

That focus has also led to stronger systems around stock, planning, equipment and logistics — helping the business become more proactive and better prepared.

“The more organised and proactive we are, the smoother everything runs.”

Read Kiernan’s Coffee’s story >>

House Kitchen Catering: Keep It Simple

House Kitchen Catering found that keeping its early menus simple helped the business control staffing and costs while maintaining quality and consistency.

That approach proved particularly valuable when costs increased across the industry.

“As long as the quality & consistency was high, our customers were happy with the offer; and we could streamline staffing and keep costs low.”

The business has since grown from small pop-ups and a pub residency into corporate catering, weddings, festivals and large-scale events — showing that keeping your foundations simple doesn’t mean limiting your ambitions.

Their advice?

“Start small, but most importantly- get started.”

Read House Kitchen Catering’s story >>

Meat The Chef: Be Prepared To Change Direction

For Meat The Chef, adapting has meant finding new ways to build on the core business.

Christian moved from a high-end hotel kitchen into street food, and the business has continued to evolve, including diversifying into retail products such as its own sauces.

It’s a useful reminder that adapting doesn’t always mean changing everything. Sometimes it’s about finding another way to make the most of what you already do well.

Read Meat the Chef’s story >>

What can we learn from members?

There’s no single answer to navigating challenging trading conditions, but these businesses show that resilience can take many forms.

Sometimes it means simplifying, or finding efficiencies. Sometimes it means changing direction or exploring new opportunities.

But across all of these stories, there’s a common thread: successful businesses aren’t afraid to look at what they’re doing, understand what’s changing and adapt accordingly.

As Kiernan’s Coffee puts it:

“What works for other people does not always work for you, so it is important to play to your own strengths, ask yourself why something didn’t work, and adjust accordingly.”

For independent caterers, that willingness to adapt may be one of the most important tools for building a business that can weather whatever comes next.