On 10 July, we welcomed over 100 catering managers from across the country to Abingdon School for our Independents FY26 Knowledge Transfer Event, a day packed with food innovation, digital transformation, and collaborative learning.
This was an immersion into the future of school catering, designed to equip our teams with everything they need to deliver outstanding experiences in the new academic year.
A Fresh Look at Food
This year, we launched an exciting range of new food offers tailored to the diverse needs of pupils across nursery, prep, and sixth form settings. From vibrant café-style concepts for older pupils to fun and nutritious menus for younger children, our updated offers reflect the latest in pupil preferences, nutritional science, and school feedback.
Attendees got hands-on with our Hospitality and Match Teas offers, explored seasonal menus, and even sampled our Hawkers Street Food concept, which is inspired by on-street vendors from around the world and serves trending food concepts authentically and at speed. Attendees had the chance to try our Gwangjang, a food concept offering Asian flavours that draw on inspiration from a diverse range of Korean cuisine.
Going Digital – Smarter Tools for Better Service
Alongside food innovation, this year’s event highlighted our growing digital ecosystem, designed to streamline operations and enhance the pupil experience.
One standout was our upcoming mobile pre-order and engagement app built specifically for Independent Schools. With its intuitive interface and seamless integration, we will transform the way pupils interact with food service, making queues a thing of the past.
We also showcased:
- Auditing Tool: Our smart audit tool for compliance excellence
- DRIve: A tool that simplifies menu planning
- Client Reporting Dashboards: Transparent performance tracking with insights that matter
- Digital Portal: A central hub for marketing materials, style guides, and downloadable content
The Power of Partnership
The day was structured around 14 interactive Zones, each led by subject matter experts. From new food offers led by our Culinary Director, Keith Burton and his team, to printing support from HOBS, the event celebrated the strength of our teams and partnerships, internally and externally.
We believe that our success is rooted in collaboration, and this session was a perfect example of how we grow stronger together.
Celebrating Excellence
We wrapped up the day with the Independents Excellence Awards, hosted by our Managing Director, Simon Knight. The awards recognised teams and individuals who have gone above and beyond in branding, marketing, and culinary delivery.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see how our teams are embracing innovation,” said Simon. “We’re redefining what school catering can be, where food, service, and technology come together to inspire young people every day.”
As we gear up for the new academic year, we’re proud to lead with fresh ideas, forward-thinking tools, and a commitment to excellence.
The event was organised by our marketing team, James Mundy, Marketing Director, and Irmina Pala, Marketing Manager for Education, whose efforts made it all possible.
