Andrew Seymour

1 week ago | cateringinsight.com | Andrew Seymour

As a species, we don’t always deal well with the unknown. Businesses are similarly uncomfortable with the concept. They like to plan ahead. They like to budget knowing there won’t be any surprises. They like stability. Indeed, it was often said during the Covid lockdown that the biggest challenge for companies was the whole uncertainty of the situation. It’s a lot harder to forecast the future when so many variables exist. The US tariffs scenario feels somewhat similar.

1 week ago | cateringinsight.com | Andrew Seymour

Former Marston’s stalwart Clare Chinn is switching to the supplier side of the industry by joining Lincat. Mrs Chinn had been with the 1,300-strong pub group for more than 25 years, most recently as head of property customer support. Prior to that she spent five years as head of estates support, and before that estates support manager having started out as a customer service advisor. She left the business last month after her role was made redundant.

1 week ago | cateringinsight.com | Andrew Seymour

Moffat Catering Equipment has bid farewell to Sinclair Campbell, who retired last Friday after an incredible 47 years’ service with the company. Mr Campbell’s career began in 1978 as a trainee estimator and he quickly became a permanent fixture in the estimating team, playing an important part in evaluating and costing many of the company’s key projects through the 1980s. He went on to spend 12 years as an area manager covering Scotland, Northern England and Ireland.

2 weeks ago | cateringinsight.com | Andrew Seymour

Marren has expressed its “immense pride” at its journey from a small operation to a nationwide specialist in service and maintenance in what is its 40th year in business. The Northamptonshire-based outfit grew its turnover by 7% to more than £10m in the year to 31 October 2024, achieving an operating profit of £250k. Writing on behalf of the board in the company’s strategic report, founder Ian Marren reflected on what it had accomplished over the past four decades.

2 weeks ago | cateringinsight.com | Andrew Seymour

Hoshizaki is forecasting global sales of JPY460m (£2.4 billion) in 2025, according to the latest financial forecasts released by the company. Management at the Tokyo-based outfit – one of the world’s largest manufacturers of catering equipment – believe the business can add a further JPY14m (£75m) to the JPY445 (£2.31 billion) it achieved in 2024, which would represent a 3.3% increase. The company anticipates that it will achieve growth of 2.4% in Japan and 4.1% overseas.