The last few months in the commercial catering world has been a hive of behind the scenes activity and jostling for position in a stayed market, as the pandemic has accelerated senior management team’s collective inertia or depending on who you talk to, the more fashionable ‘agile pivot’. Perhaps, some of these recent moves could be more accurately described as being wedged into a corner through previous strategic and/or marginal decisions (made under relatively normal and even buoyant times), come home to roost in less than exceptional times. But while the congratulations, back slapping and commiserations are shared around – who is actually looking after the customer? Let’s find out.

Future Food have been working with multinational companies in the remote mining and resources sector over the past three years to improve the working life of their FIFO employees through modernised food and hospitality standards. In an ever-tightening labour market, these forward-thinking companies have for some time identified that retention of the current work force is critical to supporting their company values, business goals, profitability and to providing value to their shareholders. As part of the retention strategy and general FIFO worker well-being, modernising the food and hospitality principles have become a key driver of worker satisfaction and improving camp life to create a ‘home away from home’ environment while at work in remote areas.

From your children’s tuck-shop to the executive offices of Australia’s top corporate companies, from the footy ground (finals fever! whichever code you support) to the most remote places in Australia there is only one thing in common – the commercial caterer.

We are seeing a development of food strategies that optimise the food experience for the people using public or private spaces whether it be customers of an art centre, students of a university or employees at an institution. Our focus on these projects is the activation, connection and engagement of the food in these spaces to enhance the overall cultural and learning experience of the user as well as improve business performance.