Global caterer expands unmanned corporate restaurants in Benelux through Belgian company
The Belgian Tasties has secured a major international deal with the publicly traded Compass Group (CPG, LON). One of the largest food service companies in the world will install no less than four hundred smart refrigerators based on RFID technology in the Benelux over the next three years. With this, Compass Group is rolling out unmanned corporate restaurants in Europe after the United States. The international contract allows the young company to further grow in the office market, but also gives Tasties the opportunity to tap into new markets such as residential care centers, hotels, and modern neighborhoods with smart catering.
Although the coronavirus pandemic initially seemed like a thorn in the side for the young Belgian company, all lights are green today. Since the major reopening of offices, the phone has been ringing off the hook. Companies that initially held back due to almost complete remote work are now massively opting for smart refrigerators. Among others, Province of Antwerp, Xior, SD Worx, Dematic, and Loyens & Loeff equipped their company canteens with the smart refrigerators from Tasties.
"Since September, we have already installed about 25 of our smart refrigerators at various large companies. In the coming months, there will be another 100 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg alone. It is clear that companies are looking for alternatives to traditional corporate catering. Tasties responds to that demand by making it possible to set up unmanned corporate restaurants that completely relieve their customers. Moreover, our smart refrigerators completely eliminate theft." Jelle Fluit, Co-CEO of Tasties.
400 unmanned company canteens in the Benelux
Corona has completely changed office life and the accompanying catering. Employees come and go to the office in a more individual and flexible manner. They also want to be able to eat and drink fresh and healthy 24/7. Compass Group has long focused on that individual and flexible catering offering. Recently, it launched Market 24/7, an unmanned microshop for companies.
The publicly traded food services company is now taking it a step further and opting for unmanned company canteens as an affordable alternative. But that must be possible without the risk of theft. Compass Group thus rightly turned to the smart refrigerators from Tasties. Over the next three years, the publicly traded caterer will install no less than four hundred smart refrigerators in the Benelux. After that, the rest of Europe should follow.
"Unmanned catering is already a 'booming business' in America, and in Europe we see this market developing rapidly. With Tasties, we have found the ideal European partner with which we can provide modern company canteens with fresh, healthy meals around the clock. As part of the agreement, all Tasties refrigerators will also feature salads and 'to heat' meals from Tom & Della's, our own premium retail brand," says Bart Matthijs, CEO of Compass Group BelgiLux NV.
Smart catering for residential care centers, hotels, and neighborhoods
The deal with the international Compass Group helps Tasties to further expand its organization and recruit additional people. But the start-up is already looking beyond the European office market. Tasties is also seeking partners in the Middle East to open unmanned corporate restaurants. In addition to the office market, Tasties is working on new markets.
"The deal with Compass Group is a real turbo for our growth in the office market, but we are already looking beyond just that sector. Tasties is, for example, an excellent alternative to hotel room service or meal delivery services like Deliveroo for student housing. Residential care centers and modern neighborhoods also benefit from our smart catering," says Pieter-Jan Debel, Co-CEO and founder of Tasties.
This year, Tasties aims to reach the milestone of 100 smart refrigerators both domestically and internationally.
