Research/Insight

A major new survey by the UK’s leading independent contract catering group, Westbury Street Holdings (WSH), owner of contract caterer BaxterStorey and state schools caterer Caterlink, reveals that the recession is having a significant impact on people’s food choices and attitudes. Alarmingly almost a quarter of surveyed parents of schoolchildren have said that the impact of the recession has reduced their ability to make healthy eating choices for their children.

Writing a captivating job advert is therefore essential. Here are five tips to help you do just that: *Use a relevant and good title.

Make some notes on each CV according to the following: *Length of service and stability – have they had multiple jobs in a short space of time? Are there any unexplained gaps in the CV?

Here are five tips for restaurants to get the most out of social media: Get started. If you don't have accounts set them up. For Facebook add all relevant information and include photos.

The guide is full of advice for how businesses can prepare for, and make the most of, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) believes that 40% of primary school children’s lunchboxes do not contain any fruit or vegetables, compared to 10% of school meals. “This is a missed opportunity for children’s health,” says Kate Mendoza, head of education at WCRF, adding that packed lunches are not sufficiently healthy. She wants similar changes to be made to packed lunches as those encouraged by TV chef Jamie Oliver for school meals.

With all the changes and challenges facing local authority caterers, it’s useful to take stock of where the service is at and where it’s going. And our market survey sets out to do just that. Our on-line poll received responses from 156 catering managers in councils across the UK, who were asked about issues facing them and expectations for the future.

Gael Daval, executive head chef, Avenance, has worked at the school for eight and a half years.

Although average profitability of less than 4% of turnover reflects an industry still under pressure, the research, based on more than 60% of industry sales, suggests that the FM market has now turned a corner in terms of performance in 2011. It says ‘total facilities management’ services are set to underpin market growth followed by an upsurge in demand for single service and ‘niche’ FM providers. By 2015, the report forecasts market growth of 12% led by a number of key sectors in the private commercial market.

Here is a list of the full winners: • Regional Award – Scotland The judges pronounced Scotland the winner of the award for the successful operation of a region throughout the year, for its ability to