Within six months, the business had expanded beyond the shop, catering for local companies and events. In 2007, The Pantry was approached by its first school to provide lunches on a small scale.
By 2014, it had secured its first official school contract, and its reputation for delivering hot, nutritious meals began to grow. The Pantry was named as the winner of the Public Sector Catering Contract Caterer of the Year Award in 2023.
Now, 20 years on, The Pantry provides catering to hundreds of schools, producing meals across the length and breadth of the country, and employs over 700 people – still including Luke Consiglio’s mum and other family members.
Speaking about the milestone, Consiglio said: “At the time, I had high hopes for what The Pantry could become, but to have grown to the size we are today, and to still be a business I am genuinely proud of, is far beyond anything I could ever have imagined. To everyone who has been part of the journey – thank you. You’ve helped shape what The Pantry is today.”