Bradfield College Success Story:
The power of data-driven efficiency in school catering cost control
Background: A “hidden gem” in independent education
Founded in 1850 and located in the picturesque Berkshire countryside, Bradfield College is set to celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2025. As one of the UK’s most prestigious independent schools, Bradfield is renowned for its commitment to a balanced, well-rounded education. Guided by its ethos of offering “an education for life,” the College nurtures students beyond academic success, focusing on personal growth, creativity, and character development.
The challenge: Taking control of catering costs
Until 2020, Bradfield College outsourced its catering operations, a decision that had significant financial implications. According to Rob Pynegar, Group Food and Beverage Director at Bradfield, the move to bring catering in-house was driven primarily by the need to cut costs and regain control over procurement. However, with around 2,500 different food lines to manage, Bradfield College needed an efficient way to handle purchasing, invoicing, and cost tracking without overloading internal teams and needing additional resource.
The solution: IndiCater’s procurement-to-pay and cost management software
Bradfield College chose IndiCater as its catering management solution due to its ability to offer a full P2P solution, providing quick and easy access to supplier pricing alongside recipe and menu management. IndiCater enabled the college to retain full control over purchasing while benefiting from a centralised and streamlined hospitality management solution.
Key factors influencing the decision:
- Flexibility and independence – IndiCater helped Bradfield College to control its own supplier pricing and selection.
- Full financial visibility – IndiCater integrated with finance systems, EPoS, and other hospitality management to ensure an improved data flow and reduced reliance on manual intervention.
- Cost and time efficiency – By automating invoice processing, IndiCater has saved an estimated 100 hours per week.
The impact: Data-driven cost management
Bradfield College’s forward-thinking, data-driven approach meant they already understood the importance of managing their catering costs. However, by centralising their data with IndiCater, Bradfield College was able to turn this mindset into measurable action, unlocking significant cost savings, improving operations, and increasing efficiency across their sites, teams, and processes.
“IndiCater’s ability to help process invoices, cross-check deliveries and manage accounts has enabled us to save 100 hours a week. With the increasing financial pressures on the sector, including VAT changes and rising costs, the efficiency and savings of IndiCater have proved excellent value for money. When you compare the time and money saved to the software licensing cost, it simply makes perfect sense."
Significant cost savings:
By leveraging IndiCater’s P2P software and financial reports, Rob and his team can identify high-cost items, negotiate better supplier deals, and make informed decisions on cost reductions.
Financial efficiency in a challenging market:
With rising costs due to VAT changes, National Insurance increases, and reduced business rate relief, independent schools face increasing financial pressure. IndiCater’s detailed financial insights help Bradfield College spot trends and inconsistencies across all sites and purchasing locations, enabling proactive cost management and on-demand reporting.
Improved invoicing and supplier management:
Automated invoice reconciliation has significantly streamlined financial processes, eliminating the need for additional administrative and accounting resource.
Supporting local suppliers:
IndiCater supports Bradfield College’s commitment to working with both national suppliers and local independents. A great example is a small, local free-range egg supplier just five miles away, who now receives payments within 14 days, improving their cash flow and strengthening community relationships.
Improved operational efficiency with up-to-the-minute data & reporting
IndiCater’s new reporting suite has been a huge improvement for Bradfield College. According to Rob, the upgraded suite provides instant access to critical data, enabling the catering and management teams to make quick, data-driven decisions.
For example: If finance queries the cost of serving fresh fish every Friday, Rob can instantly pull live data from suppliers, showing exact costs and allowing leadership to decide whether to continue or adjust menu options.
Responsive support and open, honest feedback
Best-in-class support:
"IndiCater’s account management response time is usually under one minute. The team is professional and knowledgeable – exactly what you want from a relationship."
A partner that listens and innovates:
Rob values IndiCater’s proactive approach to feedback and product development:
"One of the things I really value about IndiCater is their approach to feedback. With 27 years in hospitality, I know how important it is to have a partner that listens and acts on suggestions. I was involved in early reviews of the reporting suite, and several of my recommendations were implemented. IndiCater actively seeks input, and they’re honest about what’s possible – whether it’s something they can roll out for everyone, something that will take time and cost, or simply not viable. That transparency and willingness to improve make for a strong, trusted partnership."
A strategic partnership for long-term success
Bradfield College has been a long-term client of IndiCater and has played a key role in shaping the platform’s development. Their early feedback on the new, improved reporting suite led to significant usability improvements.
Looking ahead, Bradfield College plans to expand IndiCater’s capabilities into additional operational areas, further strengthening their efficiency and cost management. As financial pressures on independent schools across the UK continue to rise, this partnership is set for continued growth, with IndiCater playing a key role in helping Bradfield College reduce food spend and drive long-term financial sustainability.
A digital-first approach to catering management
Bradfield College’s experience highlights the power of digital transformation in education catering, proving that with the right tools, even traditional institutions can adapt and thrive in an increasingly challenging financial landscape.
If you’d like to dive deeper into this case study or explore how IndiCater can support your catering team, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us below – we’d love to support your team.