The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Caterer wins £4m contract extensions in Tayside
SERVICE SECTOR: Football clubs, racecourse and golf events also clients
Catering provider Sodexo Prestige has won two major contract extensions to continue its association with the Tayside area.
It will operate the restaurants at Blair Castle at Blair Atholl and Discovery Point in Dundee for another five years in deals with a combined value of £4 million.
As well as the day visitor restaurants, Sodexo Prestige will provide a service to corporate clients and guests at social functions in the two establishments.
The company already provides catering for the restaurants and food outlets at Dundee and Dundee United Football Clubs and Perth Racecourse.
It has provided catering at prominent events visiting the area including Open golf championships at St Andrews and Carnoustie for more than 20 years.
The week before last was one of the busiest in the year for the company as it supplied meals, snacks and drinks at the Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon.
Sodexo Prestige had an 80-strong team in the kitchens at the championship and were based in The R&A Complex, working in the popular Links Pavilion and serving up to 1,500 guests a day.
The logistics of that event for the firm were massive – one supply contract was for 14,000 portions of haddock to serve in fish suppers to hungry golf fans.
The firm was back on the east coast this weekend at the Senior Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie.
“We are very pleased to have won the Blair Castle and Discovery Point contract extensions which continue our connections with the area in and around Dundee,” said Scottish managing director Austin Tilsley.
“We began operating the restaurant at Discovery Point about seven years ago and employed 10 people.
“Now we have around 100 there and at the football clubs, Perth Racecourse and Blair Castle.
“We have become a big operation in the Tayside area. That is also good for staff in that we can offer greater flexibility – we can move staff from one restaurant to another to suit needs.”
The company is proud of its record for supporting the food industry in the locations it operates, with locally sourced produce prominent on menus.
It also offers Fairtrade ingredients wherever possible, showing support for Third World producers.
Support for local industry extends to other caterers, and it was in collaboration with MasterChef Pro champion Jamie Scott of the Newport Restaurant to support his operation at the Dundee Design Festival.