Why benchmarking is the financial safety net for schools running catering in-house

For schools that choose to run catering in-house, the decision is often rooted in values as much as practicality. Bringing catering operations under school control allows leaders to shape menus around pupil needs, recruit staff who align with the school ethos, and create a genuinely nurturing food culture that supports wellbeing as well as learning.

But alongside these benefits come challenges – particularly when it comes to financial management.

From negotiating with suppliers to managing ingredient costs and monitoring waste, in-house catering teams often operate with limited external reference points. Without a clear sense of what ‘good value’ really looks like, it becomes difficult to know whether budgets are being spent as effectively as possible.

This is where benchmarking becomes invaluable.

The hidden financial risk of going it alone

Many schools assume that if their catering budget balances on paper, then everything is working as it should. In reality, catering spend can drift over time without anyone noticing.

Supplier prices change, product specifications creep upwards, and purchasing habits become routine rather than strategic. Even small inefficiencies – a few pence extra on staple ingredients, pack sizes varying slightly or fresh produce costs creeping up – can quietly add up to thousands of pounds across an academic year.

Unlike outsourced contracts, where pricing structures are regularly reviewed, in-house teams often lack access to comparative data. Without knowing what similar schools are paying for equivalent products, it’s almost impossible to judge whether procurement decisions are delivering the best value.

Turning data into savings – without cutting quality

Effective benchmarking isn’t about forcing schools to reduce costs at the expense of food quality. Instead, it provides the insight needed to spend smarter.

By comparing purchasing data across similar schools, benchmarking highlights:

• Where ingredient costs are above sector averages
• Which suppliers are offering competitive value
• Opportunities to rationalise product ranges
• Areas where buying consistency could reduce spend
• Potential savings that don’t affect menu standards

In many cases, the findings don’t point to dramatic overhauls, but to small, targeted adjustments that collectively unlock meaningful savings.

For schools committed to maintaining high food standards, this approach is particularly powerful. Rather than cutting corners, benchmarking allows catering teams to protect quality while improving financial efficiency.

Why mid-year is the perfect moment to review

While many schools review catering performance at the end of the academic year, waiting until summer can mean missing opportunities to improve outcomes for the current cohort of pupils.

The midpoint of the academic year offers a far more useful window for evaluation.

By this stage, catering teams have a clear picture of supplier reliability and pricing trends, actual uptake versus forecast demand, seasonal cost fluctuations and menu performance and waste levels.

Benchmarking at this point allows schools to make informed adjustments before budgets tighten further. Whether renegotiating supplier agreements, refining product choices, or identifying new purchasing strategies, mid-year insights can help schools finish the year in a stronger financial position.

Benchmarking gives school leaders and catering managers reassurance that their decisions are grounded in sector reality rather than guesswork. It provides valuable evidence for governors and senior leaders, demonstrating that catering budgets are being actively monitored and optimised.

If you run your school catering in-house and would like to understand how you can operate more efficiently, get in touch with us here.

The Quenelles team