Sales at Britain’s leading contract caterers jumped by 12.2% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, according to the new Contract Catering Tracker from CGA by NIQ, Bidfood and UKHospitality.
The latest performance stretches a long run of growth in every quarter since the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2021. It also marks an acceleration of growth in 2025, following increases of 8.0% and 9.5% in the first and second quarters of the year respectively. Groups’ MAT growth—for sales over the 12 months to end-September compared to the previous 12 months—now stands at 9.7%.
While most sales growth has been organic, the Contract Catering Tracker also indicates a 1.4% increase in the number of outlets served by Britain’s leading operators since the third quarter of 2024.
The Contract Catering Tracker from CGA, Bidfood and UKHospitality aggregates sales from leading operators to provide quarterly reports with year-on-year analysis. It offers businesses a valuable benchmarking tool to measure performance across various metrics and market groupings, and participants in the Tracker receive additional analysis in return for their contributions.
Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “Contract caterers have substantially outperformed Britain’s hospitality sector in recent years, and these latest figures extend a stellar 2025. Strong organic sales growth and a steady increase in new contracts show the high demand for their services, despite multiple challenges in a high-cost trading environment. While there is no room for complacency, the catering sector will be entering the crucial Christmas season with high confidence.”
Debra Morrell, Bidfood business development controller – Business & Industry, said: “It is really heartening to see momentum in the contract catering sector continue to grow, both in terms of sales and an increase in the number of sites. This is testament to the resilience of the sector, and its focus on delivering value which we are seeing is such a critical choice driver for consumers in workplace and wider settings right now. As hybrid working patterns continue to settle, caterers are adapting their offers to better meet evolving employee expectations – from flexible service times to more diverse, high-quality and innovative menus. It’s clear that those who can deliver relevance, creative flair and consistency in their proposition, as well as the healthy and sustainable choices that consumers look for, are best placed to thrive.”
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “Contract caterers are clearly performing very well, which is remarkable considering the significant cost pressures that the sector continues to face.
“This continued growth shows the clear demand for the high quality services our contract caterers provide, and the potential the sector has for even further growth, if it’s tax burden was reduced at the Budget.”
CGA by NIQ’s partners on the Contract Catering Tracker include: ABM Catering, Bartlett Mitchell, BaxterStorey, Blue Apple, CH&CO, Compass UK, Elior UK, Harrison Catering Services, Olive Catering and Sodexo UK.
About CGA by NIQ
CGA by NIQ provides definitive On Premise consumer intelligence that reveals new pathways to growth for the world’s most successful food and drink brands. With more than 30 years of research, data, and analytics, CGA by NIQ provides the Full View™.
CGA by NIQ works with food and beverage suppliers, consumer brand owners, wholesalers, government entities, pubs, bars, and restaurants to protect and shape the future of the On Premise experience. Using complete and clear understanding of measurement and insights, CGA by NIQ provides a competitive edge to guide winning strategies for On Premise businesses.
For more information, visit NIQ.com or www.cgastrategy.com.