Brand new School Contract Caterer Ranking from ProVeg UK scores top caterers across England, with Dolce Schools Catering sitting at number one
Non-profit, ProVeg UK, shares the results of their first ever School Contract Caterer Ranking, scoring England’s top 25 school caterers on how planet-friendly their menus are. With a growing need for caterers to prioritise health and sustainability, the ranking makes it easy for schools to choose a caterer that aligns with their planet-friendly goals.
This year’s winner, Dolce Schools Catering, proves that sustainability and efficiency can go hand-in-hand, even for the biggest in the business. Alongside being the top-ranked caterer in the ProVeg Contract Caterer Ranking, the rapidly growing Dolce is reported to have won 100 contracts in 2024.
Sodexo and Caterlink came second and third with their impressive range of planet-friendly offerings. These top caterers are paving the way for healthy and sustainable school menus to be the norm.
Responding to the results of the ranking, Alex Jemison, School Plates Awards Coordinator at ProVeg UK, said, “This ranking gives us the opportunity to recognise the sustainable leaders in school contract catering, and allow schools to choose caterers who clearly align with their goals. We’re delighted at how many caterers showed an appetite to engage with our work.
“Alongside the 75 catering partners that we work with on our School Plates programme, we’re glad that we can celebrate the wider efforts of those paving the way to healthier and more sustainable school food, for the health of children, and the planet.
ProVeg UK developed the ranking after it was clear that the lack of information for schools and local governments was hindering their ability to compare planet-friendly catering providers that aligned with their sustainability goals. The scoring system evaluated the promotion of plant-based foods, the quality of plant-based dishes, and transparency and communication about these topics.
Neil Price, Head of Food Services at Dolce Schools Catering, says: “We always strive to bring the highest quality meals to our schools and their pupils. This includes continually looking at the best plant-based, sustainable and healthy meal options that we can put into our menus, and most importantly, that the children enjoy eating.
“Offering children nutritious and healthy food has always been our priority, regardless of their dietary preference, but by providing pupils with a choice of plant-based dishes and products we’re also helping raise awareness of more planet-friendly dishes. It’s a privilege for us to help foster a sense of health and sustainability amongst the next generation and we’re proud to be recognised with a Silver School Plates award too.”
A report last year showed that 48% of meat consumers in the UK say that they have reduced their annual meat intake (Smart Protein Report 2024), and according to a UNICEF report, nine out of ten children are worried about climate change, with 89% of children saying they don’t feel enough is being done to tackle the climate crisis. With a growing shift towards healthier and more sustainable food choices, school caterers have the potential to lead with positive change.
Currently leading the ProVeg UK Contract Caterer Ranking, Dolce caters for more than 650 schools. Their future-proofed menu came out on top, packed with plants, and featuring the likes of roasted ratatouille pasta, southern style jambalaya, sizzling plant-based sausages with mash. They have two planet-friendly days in the schools where they have contracts, and vegan and vegetarian options are clearly labelled and celebrated.
ProVeg UK partnered with a data analyst to score their menus and websites against evidence-based actions to promote planet-friendly dishes. For the full ranking, visit our website.