This year, IndiCater is celebrating a huge milestone: 25 years in hospitality!
Over the last quarter-century, we’ve had the privilege of working with incredible catering teams in schools, care homes, pubs, and contract kitchens. We’ve shared triumphs, tackled challenges, and learned more than we could have imagined about what it takes to support hospitality teams in the most impactful way possible.
We’re reflecting on the pathway that got us here and paying tribute to the businesses and people who have made the industry what it is today. They’ve worked through immense pressure, unpredictable circumstances, and built resilience beyond imagination.
Let’s take a look through the last 25 years in hospitality…
Unpredictable turbulence
It would be impossible to reflect on the last 25 years without mentioning COVID-19.
Overnight, kitchen lights were switched off, pubs closed their doors, and businesses faced a world turned upside down. According to the Office for National Statistics, 81% of businesses in accommodation and food services temporarily closed or ceased trading, highlighting the scale of disruption.
For sectors such as healthcare and education, feeding people became a matter of safety, nutrition, and comfort. Across the country, catering teams worked tirelessly behind the scenes, often under immense stress, to ensure no one went hungry. Keyworkers in kitchens became essential lifelines, keeping communities nourished while the world seemed to pause.
As restrictions eased, businesses cautiously reopened. Pubs filled with people once more, office canteens reopened, and so B&I catering teams sprang back into action. But “business as usual” was still a long way off. Companies were trying to recover lost revenue, thousands of people were still out of work, and new operational procedures, from enhanced cleaning to social distancing in kitchens, required constant adjustment.
And just as the industry began to find its footing, Brexit added another layer of complexity. Supply chains became fragile and unpredictable. Ingredients that once travelled freely across borders now faced tariffs, additional paperwork, and delays. Costs fluctuated, menus had to be revised, and staff often worked longer hours just to keep kitchens running.
Through both these shocks, we saw extraordinary resilience. Catering teams innovated, suppliers adapted, and relationships between colleagues, clients, and suppliers proved more vital than ever. At IndiCater, we were fortunate to continue supporting clients throughout. While our office went fully remote for the first time, the team adapted brilliantly, allowing us to expand our reach, bring in new talent from across the UK, and continue delivering the service our clients rely on.
COVID-19 and Brexit aren’t things the hospitality industry will ever forget, and many businesses are still recovering. But in some ways, these challenges brought the sector closer together, pushing the creativity, perseverance, and care of the people who make hospitality what it once was.
The digital shift: contactless payments, QR codes, and new expectations
The last 25 years have seen technology quietly reshape hospitality – but COVID-19 accelerated the pace of change almost overnight. Suddenly, contactless payments became a necessity. Cashless transactions minimised touchpoints, sped up service, and made kitchens and front-of-house teams feel safer. What began as a health measure quickly became a permanent expectation from customers.
At the same time, QR codes made a comeback. Once dismissed as a passing trend, they returned as a popular solution for busy venues. Menus went digital, ordering became more efficient, and staff could focus more on service. QR codes offered flexibility and safety, while also opening up opportunities to share richer nutritional information and allergen guidance – something that became particularly important with the introduction of Natasha’s Law (and we’ll touch upon that below).
The shift to digital systems has transformed how catering teams plan, order from their food suppliers, and manage food (and costs). Data-driven insights now allow kitchens to predict demand, reduce waste, and ensure consistent quality across multiple sites. For hospitality businesses, hospitality management software has become the difference between surviving and thriving – especially when supply chains are unpredictable, and customer expectations continue to evolve.
We’ve seen firsthand how embracing technology empowers our clients. From streamlining stock management to providing accurate recipe costing and allergen tracking, digital tools give teams the confidence to deliver excellent service, even under pressure. Technology gives staff the space and time to focus on what they do best and ensures your business stays on budget.
Regulations and Dietary Requirements: Natasha’s Law and Calorie Transparency
In the last 25 years, hospitality has faced increasingly complex regulations. One of the most significant changes has been the introduction of Natasha’s Law, requiring all pre-packaged foods to clearly display allergens. For catering teams, that meant changing workflows and recipes to ensure safety – a responsibility that is both critical and deeply personal.
Alongside allergens, calorie labelling on menus has reshaped how meals are designed and communicated. Transparency is now expected, particularly in schools and care facilities, helping diners make informed choices while still enjoying quality meals.
These changes haven’t always been easy. They’ve required new processes, training, and digital tools. But they’ve also elevated the professionalism and confidence of catering teams, allowing them to serve safe, nutritional meals.
Sustainability, ethical sourcing, and data-driven food waste
Hospitality has shifted from focusing solely on efficiency and cost to taking responsibility for its wider impact – on people, communities, and the planet.
Sustainability has moved from being a “nice-to-have” to a core expectation. It’s popping up more and more in tender processes, schools are setting goals and consumers are looking for more sustainable and ethical options. Where kitchens once prioritised speed and volume above all, today they are measuring carbon footprints, reducing waste, and sourcing ingredients ethically.
A decade ago, few restaurants or catering teams considered the environmental impact of a dish. Now, more clients and diners want transparency about the carbon cost of the food they eat and therefore carbon footprint labelling was born Tracking these metrics might have seemed daunting at first, but it has become a powerful tool for decision-making, helping kitchens plan menus, select suppliers, and engage with environmentally conscious diners.
Ethical sourcing has evolved alongside this. Ingredients are increasingly selected based on animal welfare, local sourcing, fair trade, and environmental impact. Suppliers and kitchens that embrace these practices have not only met regulatory and consumer demands but have built trust with clients who care about more than just the bottom line.
Data-driven foodservice has also evolved and now become essential to a thriving business. From predicting stock requirements to analysng menu performance and reducing waste, kitchens now operate with insight and precision that would have been unimaginable 25 years ago. The combination of technology, sustainability metrics, and ethical sourcing allows teams to balance cost, quality, and responsibility, ensuring that meals are not only delicious but also aligned with broader values.
For hospitality teams, these changes haven’t always been easy. Tracking carbon footprints, sourcing ethically, and analysng data adds layers of complexity. But the impact is more informed decisions, less waste, and a stronger connection to customers who care about the environment as much as the food on their plate.
Looking back, the evolution in sustainability, ethical sourcing, and data-driven decision-making reflects the hospitality industry’s resilience and adaptability. Teams have risen to new challenges while staying true to the core of hospitality.
Looking ahead: The next 25 years in hospitality
As we celebrate 25 years of IndiCater in the hospitality industry, it’s impossible not to feel a mixture of pride, gratitude, and excitement. From the disruptions of COVID-19 and Brexit, to supporting technological change, regulatory shifts, and the rise of sustainability, the last quarter century has been evidence of the resilience, creativity, and heart of the people behind hospitality.
Looking forward, we see a future shaped by both challenges and opportunities. Owen’s Law reminds us that data-driven decision-making will become even more critical, helping teams predict demand, reduce waste, and optimise operations with precision. Sustainability will continue to take center stage, with carbon footprint labelling, ethical sourcing, and environmentally conscious practices becoming standard expectations rather than aspirational goals.
Technology will keep evolving, from smarter ordering systems to AI-assisted menu planning, but the human touch will always remain the cornerstone of hospitality. Our industry will continue to thrive when teams are supported and valued.
We are deeply grateful to the clients and teams who have trusted us over the years. Their passion, feedback, and resilience have not only shaped our product but have also helped shaped our company. It’s been a pleasure to support catering teams in schools, care homes, pubs, and beyond, helping them deliver safe, nourishing, and memorable food experiences.
As we look to the next 25 years, one thing is certain… hospitality will keep evolving, and we’ll keep evolving with it, guided by empathy, expertise, and a commitment to the people who make it all possible.
Here’s to the next chapter, and to continuing to serve, innovate, and care for the teams and communities that make hospitality extraordinary.
