Durham University, one of the UK’s leading academic institutions, has achieved strong cost control across its catering operations, keeping costs increases below inflation, through a long-standing partnership with Foodbuy Group. This support now continues under ProcurED, Foodbuy’s education procurement division.
With a large and complex catering operation serving students, staff, and visitors across multiple campuses, the University needed a streamlined procurement solution to manage costs, ensure compliance, and support sustainability across its supply chain.
In 2022, Durham University partnered with Foodbuy to implement a tailored Procure-to-Pay (P2P) platform for its catering operations, and this system continues to be supported and optimised by ProcurED.
A Comprehensive, Integrated Procurement Platform
The P2P platform enables Durham University to:
The P2P platform has streamlined daily operations for Durham’s catering teams. It allows staff to manage menus, recipes, and allergens efficiently, while providing full visibility of spend across departments, helping the University maintain control and consistency across its catering operations.
As the partnership marks its third anniversary, Paul Taylor, Head of Operations at Durham University, reflects:
“Our relationship with ProcurED has been instrumental in helping our catering and operations teams manage costs effectively. Their data insights give us visibility into critical spend across departments. We view our collaboration as a true partnership—one that integrates seamlessly with our operations to deliver robust procurement solutions, driving commercial value and savings for the University.”
Delivering Cost Efficiency Across Categories
During our partnership, we have delivered successful procurement activities across a wide range of categories, including wholesale, food-to-go, beers, wines & spirits, and non-food products. Each tender has achieved measurable savings, while robust supplier management has ensured consistent value during price reviews. Through our partnership, Durham University has been able to achieve strong cost control over its catering costs.
Supporting Sustainability and Social Impact
ProcurED has also supported Durham University’s commitment to social impact and sustainability. By introducing suppliers such as Big River Bakery in Newcastle and nurturing existing relationships with suppliers like Marlish Water from Northumberland, ProcurED has helped align procurement with the University’s values.
The Marlish Water initiative has extended beyond procurement. It has provided opportunities to educate students on Marlish Farm’s sustainability practices, including 100% renewable energy use and tree-planting programs.
Paul Taylor adds:
“ProcurED understands the finer details of our requirements and ensures their account management and processes are aligned to support us.”
ProcurED works as an extension of Durham’s team, optimising procurement processes, managing supplier relationships, and providing hands-on expertise across all catering operations. Through this close partnership, Durham University has achieved enhanced procurement visibility, measurable cost savings, and strengthened relationships with suppliers who share its values.
Ready to simplify procurement and drive value?
Contact our education procurement division, ProcurED, to see how we can support your procurement needs: ProcurED@foodbuy.co.uk
