IF YOU WERE TO DELIVER SCHOOL DINNERS, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DRIVE 230 MILES AT A TIME?

It is necessary for every school to retain the services of a committed caterer; but, is it so difficult to locate a dependable caterer that a firm that travels an incredible 500 miles to carry meals every day is required to be employed? This is just what the caterer Cygnet Catering, which is situated in Nottingham, is doing, as they are now providing daily meals to more than one hundred schools located in Dorset. This trip may take up to four hours, and all of the meals are carried in lorries that are equipped with refrigeration. The program has been referred to as “ludicrous” by the parents of the students who attend the school, and it has been the subject of criticism from government watchdogs who are concerned about the 1,000 miles per week that the transportation distance incurs, which results in approximately £80 in fuel costs. Cygnet defends their agreement by noting that the cost of each meal, which is £2.02, covers all fuel and transportation expenses. However, Dorset County Council asserts that this deal, which is worth £1.2 million, is a “value for money.” Nevertheless, when taking into account the effects that this strategy has on the environment, concerns are raised over the magnitude of the carbon imprint that a single corporation leaves behind. For the purpose of delivering school meals to Dorset, a catering firm based in Nottingham travels 230 miles each and every day. The question is whether this is a good concept or a massive waste of resources. Meals such as lasagne, fish fingers, southern fried chicken, pizza, and sausage & mash are among the items that are being carried to public schools. The meals are prepared on the grounds of the Cygnet Catering plant, and then they are packaged and frozen before being sent to various locations around the United Kingdom. These locations include Weymouth, Portland, Poole, and Bournemouth are among those visited. It should come as no surprise that parent organizations have expressed skepticism over the degree of freshness of the food, given that it has been transported for such extended periods of time before reaching the plates of their children. “It takes at least four hours to do this journey, that’s a long way for food to travel […] it makes you wonder if the food can be as fresh as if it were prepared locally,” said Margaret Morrissey, a spokeswoman for the children’s service organization Parents Outloud. “It’s a long way for food to travel.” A claim like this is not very shocking. At the end of the day, there must be a hospitality employment agency that is more suited geographically for such a service, such as a catering agency in Exeter. Nevertheless, Cygnet Catering have defended their approach, with one representative saying: ‘We have an experienced staff that ensures our distribution network is as efficient as possible, helping us decrease road miles and providing a high-quality delivery service to schools throughout the UK.’ Toni Coombs, a cabinet member for education at Dorset County Council, has cast uncertainty over the future of the scheme by pointing out that the contract with Cygnet Catering will expire in July 2014 and hinting that the council is considering switching to a more local supplier for its deliveries after this date. It appears that there will be little action taken during this time period to change the practice that has been established between Cygnet Catering and Dorset County Council. You should get in touch with Catering Services International if you are interested in beginning or advancing your career in catering. By doing so, you will become a member of a vast network of connections in the catering recruiting industry.