JJ becomes an approved supplier to National Union of Students

JJ Foodservice has become an approved supplier to the National Union of Students.

The move follows several new school contract wins earlier in the year, helping JJ to more than double its business with education caterers from £5 million in 2022 to £12 million in 2023.

Jo Heuston, commercial marketing manager at NUS, said: “We are delighted to be able to collaborate with JJ to offer members competitive prices on key products which can be ordered online, quickly and easily from the website and app. The early feedback has been positive.”

Recent customers include the University of Manchester which switched to using JJ Foodservice as its primary supplier for both cafe and bar kitchen operations. Head chef Sebastian Schmidt said: “We had been struggling to find a supplier that ticked all the boxes on quality, price and reliability – but after hearing about JJ Foodservice during an NUS Catering catch-up, we decided to give them a try.

“We were particularly impressed with the price and quality of the products, along with the ability to speak to a real person and form a proper working relationship.

“The chefs and customers have been equally impressed with the quality of products across all categories. Our favourites are the chicken fillets and squid pieces – I highly recommend them!” he added.

JJ Foodservice has launched a new Schools & Higher Education microsite Go.jjfoodservice.com/EducationSchools as it continues to build its presence and visibility with education caterers.

In other news, JJ’s Advance Order (JJAO) initiative has generated sales worth over £2 million.

JJAO provides caterers with a wider choice of premium, fresh foods from UK suppliers. “Customers can order for next-day delivery and collection without the need for us to physically stock the items,” said chief operating officer Kaan Hendekli.

More than 8,800 customers use the JJAO service, which is available in Dagenham, Bristol, Leicester, Doncaster, Newcastle, and Aston. Plans are under way to roll out the service to the remaining branches by the end of the year.

JJ expects the initiative to add £5 million to sales yearly.