Cucina's fresh vision serves up two new contracts
Catering experts Cucina are serving fresh food to nearly 20,000 pupils up and down the country, taking its number of contracts to 26. Cucina, which now has a turnover of over £3 million after two years of trading, is delivering catering services to more than 2,000 further pupils and staff at St.Albans Girls’ School in Hertfordshire and Flixton Girls’ High School in Manchester.
Cucina’s passion for healthy eating won them the two-year contracts, where food sales are already almost doubling since Cucina started at St.Albans and Flixton in April.
Since Cucina started at St.Albans Girls’ School, sales have increased by 71% from £700 to £1,200 a day. Breakfast sales have increased at Flixton Girls’ High School by 72%, morning break sales increased by 51% and lunchtime sales increased by 75% for staff and 21% for students.
Ruth Bancroft, Business Director for Flixton Girls’ High School, added:
“Cucina’s approach was totally different to the other contractors we invited to tender. They are innovative, with fresh ideas and an inspirational attitude that compliments the schools vision for excellence. We wanted to make a radical shift from our previous school meals provision to a more client based service. Cucina is committed to appointing an Executive Chef who is based with us permanently.
Cucina has now been in for several weeks and the new catering service is fantastic. Student and staff uptake has increased dramatically. Eating at the Cucina restaurant is now a much more enjoyable experience; there is fantastic food, a good atmosphere and a much improved customer service.
The girls are enjoying the healthier food options which will assist their levels of concentration during lesson times. The food they eat is of much better quality and they are now being more adventurous with their food choices. The difference in the quality of food Cucina produce is fantastic, it is colourful, tasty and prepared in accordance with the Government’s Nutritional Guidelines. I am delighted to be working with Cucina; they have delivered all of their promises and exceeded our expectations."
Paul Lerwill, Support Services Manager for St.Albans Girls’ School, said:
“It was a unanimous decision to employ Cucina. We were impressed with the quality of food and liked the use of local produce. The girls are keen on food miles. Cucina has ‘inspirational’ menus, menus which are out of the ordinary. The girls asked questions about disposables and packaging. Cucina are ahead of the game in terms of their green credentials and recycling.
With regard to references, I spoke with four Schools where Cucina is operating and without fail they were 100% full of praise for Cucina. I spoke with the bursar at Southfield School for Girls, who said they only need one word to describe Cucina ‘fabulous’. I asked another School who said that Cucina had made lots of promises when starting the contract and they had delivered on every one. I couldn’t ask for better references and this was one of the main reasons that we chose Cucina."
Steve Quinn, Managing Director of Cucina, said:
“We are delighted with our new partners and are pleased that our fresh food approach is separating us from our competitors. We are keen to try new ideas, providing more opportunities for pupils to learn about food nutrition. Our chef’s theatre shows pupils their food being made and gives them the chance to take part. We have seen sales as much as treble at our many new school contracts and it’s nice to be enticing so many new customers and bucking the decline being seen nationally.”
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Notes to Editors
Cucina was founded by Steve Quinn, a food and support services professional with 26 years experience within the industry, working with international hotel groups such as Rank, Thistle, Hilton and Concorde (in France), as well as contract catering firms Sodexho (formerly Gardner Merchant) and the Compass Group. Steve works with a team of top chefs and professionals to ensure that his vision of great food is truly embraced and delivered. He has recently celebrated his 26 years in catering by signing his 26th contract last month.
Cucina provides restaurant quality food and have installed professional chefs to run its operations at the new contracts. The 1,150 pupils at St.Albans Girls’ School, aged 11 to 18, and 947 pupils at Flixton Girls’ High School, aged 11 to 16, are already enjoying the taste of Cucina’s fresh ingredients which are locally sourced.
Cucina has introduced Breakfast Service and After School Clubs at the new contracts, where the girls have healthy options which they are buying rather than spending on confectionery and chips.
For Cucina’s top recipes:
www.marketingprojects.co.uk/news/cucina/news/recipes-from-cucina
For more information on the Food Based Standards visit: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
Case Studies – Cucina Catering – inspiring dissatisfied students to give school meals a try again http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudy-detail.asp?caseid=103
Please view the website for press releases or photos which are available on request at www.marketingprojects.co.uk in Cucina’s press office.
Press Office: Marketing Projects Tel: 01244 330000
Jane Harrad-Roberts Mobile: 07785 395705
Phil Brotherhood Mobile: 07884 493370
info@marketingprojects.co.uk www.marketingprojects.co.uk
Client Contact: Cucina Restaurants Ltd Tel: 0845 3891320
Steve Quinn Email: steve@cucina.co.uk
Managing Director Website: www.cucina.co.uk
