The contract catering market - Belgium

The mass catering is the preparation and distribution of meals within companies, communities or public institutions. Part of the cost of the meal is sometimes borne by the employer or the institution in question. A distinction is made between different types of management - depending on whether it is autonomous and managed internally or delegated to private companies. The three main sectors of activity of the collective catering are catering at work in companies and public administrations, catering in health care facilities and health care (hospitals and retirement homes) as well as the restoration associated with the educational sector The issues and determinants of the business thus depend on the type of client sector Worldwide, contract catering is growing rapidly, with forecasts of more than 5% per year between 2018 and 2023 before the Covid-19 crisis. The market is dominated by global players such as the French Sodexo and Elior the American Aramark or English Compass. Collective catering actors are trying to highlight the quality of their meals, to counter the sometimes somewhat "down-market" image of the offer in collective canteens. By focusing on an organic, responsible and local offer. As the world's leading food service provider, players are trying to win over more and more customers and consumers as the choices for lunch are numerous - especially for corporate catering. The Covid-19 crisis has had a major impact on the sector and is expected to have a lasting negative impact - with the rise of teleworking in particular - thus accelerating the business model change of the actors of the collective catering.