Our client, Avanti West Coast set out to reimagine its onboard offer, creating a food and drink experience that delivers both quality and social value to its customers.
In November 2025, Foodbuy Group delivered a tailored Pitch Social event in partnership with Avanti West Coast (AWC), bringing together socially conscious suppliers and senior decision makers.
Pitch Social, powered by Foodbuy Group, connected SMEs, social enterprises, and minority-owned businesses directly with key stakeholders, providing the opportunity to progress into our client Avanti West Coast’s supply chain. The event focused on suppliers that could enhance menu diversity, including vegan and allergen-free options, alongside those prioritising sustainable sourcing and environmentally responsible packaging, helping to diversify and embed social value into procurement.
Supporting our client’s sustainability ambitions
The purpose of Avanti West Coast’s partnership with Foodbuy Group, and the delivery of Pitch Social, was to support its ambition to increase the number of socially and environmentally conscious suppliers within its onboard food supply chain.
With more than 300 trains operating daily and around 100,000 customers served each day, the opportunity for suppliers from Pitch Social to scale their impact is significant. This collaboration demonstrates how strong partnerships can turn sustainability ambitions into measurable social value for our clients.
“Foodbuy Group has been a key partner in helping us advance our sustainability goals across our catering supply chain. By combining their expertise and supplier network with our food and beverage proposition and sustainability ambitions, we've identified innovative, socially conscious businesses - strengthening our approach to responsible sourcing, as well as increasing transparency across our supply chain.
Pitch Social is a great example of this partnership in action. What started as Foodbuy Group's winning idea in our Supplier Sustainability Contest evolved into a platform that gave small, purpose-led businesses visibility, mentoring, and access to potential commercial opportunities. The success of the initiative demonstrates how collaboration can create both social value and business value, delivering meaningful outcomes for suppliers, communities, customers, and our business.” - Francesca Siena, Sustainable Procurement Manager at Avanti West Coast
From pitching to onboarding
Following Pitch Social, selected suppliers have now progressed to being featured onboard Avanti West Coast trains.
Passengers can now enjoy products such as:
Creating a more sustainable supply chain
Pitch Social was designed to break down barriers and improve access to large-scale procurement opportunities. By supporting suppliers through the supply chain process, it enables them to deliver both commercially and environmentally. For Avanti West Coast, this helps to offer more inclusive and diverse menu options, champion suppliers that align to their sustainability goals, and strengthen the social value delivered through their supply chain. With thousands of passengers travelling on its trains each day, the introduction of these purpose-led products allows that impact to be felt at scale.
Scaling impact through Pitch Social
Pitch Social is a core part of Foodbuy Group’s commitment to supporting suppliers that do good for people and our planet, while helping clients deliver their sustainability objectives. Foodbuy Group has spent over £25 million with social enterprises to date. The initiative provides purpose-led suppliers with access to a multibillion-pound foodservice supply chain, either through onboarding opportunities or structured mentorship programmes.
The success of this partnership with our client Avanti West coast demonstrates how targeted, purpose-led procurement initiatives can deliver measurable sustainability outcomes. By continuing to connect our clients with innovative, socially conscious suppliers, initiatives like Pitch Social we are helping to build more diverse, and sustainable supply chains.
To find out more about our Pitch Social events, visit:
Pitch Social – Powered by Foodbuy Group
Contact us at: info@foodbuy.co.uk