The benefits of hiring an industrial catering service instead of cooking on site

Many businesses today are struggling with the question of whether to organise cooking for their staff themselves or to hire a professional industrial catering service. This is an important choice that affects many aspects, from costs and kitchen operations to service quality. This article analyses the current situation in depth and highlights the benefits of hiring an industrial catering service, helping businesses choose the option that is most effective for their sustainable development.

STAVI specialises in supplying meals to factories and offices

Further reading:

• Stavi – A decade of building trust in the industrial catering sector in Vietnam
• Comprehensive industrial catering solutions from Stavi
• Safety and hygiene standards in the industrial catering service sector

The current state of canteen management at businesses

With more than 51.6 million workers (as of 2022), Vietnam has a very large industrial catering market across industrial parks, factories, schools, hospitals and offices. There are currently two main options that businesses commonly apply:

• Running an in-house kitchen: according to surveys, around 40% of businesses organise cooking in their own kitchen by investing directly in facilities (kitchen, storage), purchasing equipment and recruiting chefs and service staff. They are also fully responsible for every stage of operations, from menu planning and ingredient purchasing to managing the processing and serving procedures.
• Hiring an external industrial catering service: around 60% of businesses partner with a company specialising in industrial catering to optimise operations. This provider takes charge of every stage, from setting up the kitchen, recruiting the operating team, preparing ingredients, cooking and transport through to serving and cleaning up, ensuring that meals are delivered on time and to standard. The trend of outsourcing is common at large businesses in the industrial parks of Binh Duong, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, etc. as a way to reduce the management burden. Recently, schools and hospitals have also tended to hire external catering providers to cook, in order to reduce management workload and move towards greater professionalism.

Attentive service staff ensure workers eat on time

The benefits of hiring a reputable industrial catering service

Industrial catering services have existed for a long time and are used by many large companies with thousands of employees. Over time, this service segment has become increasingly popular and has won customers’ trust. Partnering with a professional catering service provider brings benefits that are not only financial but also enhance the employee experience and optimise business operations:

Saving costs and reducing the management burden

If a business organises cooking itself, it will incur many upfront costs, from building the kitchen and setting up the staffing structure and kitchen management team to purchasing equipment, and so on. But if this work is handed over to a third party, an industrial catering company, they will take care of everything. The business only needs to agree on a suitable meal price and assign someone to supervise at the kitchen alongside them.

This handover helps the business minimise operating costs, with no kitchen staffing costs, because the service provider is responsible for personnel, salaries and insurance. At the same time, all other costs such as purchasing are optimised, because service companies have reputable suppliers and usually buy in large quantities under long-term contracts, so they get better prices. Their staff are thoroughly trained with standardised procedures, which ensures quality and avoids waste. As a result, meals have a reasonable price while still providing nutrition for staff, which is more efficient than cooking in-house.

In addition, management no longer has to worry about running the kitchen or dealing with food safety and hygiene issues, and can therefore focus entirely on its core business strategy.

Improving meal quality and ensuring food safety

Reputable industrial catering companies always strictly comply with the Ministry of Health’s regulations, have quality management systems (ISO, HACCP) and apply strict control procedures from supplier selection, incoming ingredient inspection, preparation and processing through to storage and transport. This minimises the risk of food poisoning and protects both employee health and the business’s reputation.

At the same time, they have a team of nutrition experts and skilled chefs who build scientific, varied menus that change regularly by week/month, ensuring full nutrition, suiting the majority’s tastes and able to meet special requirements when partners ask for them (vegetarian or special diets).

From the way dishes are prepared and the service attitude of the staff to the hygiene of the dining area, everything is guaranteed to a high standard, delivering the best experience for users.

A complete meal from STAVI’s kitchen

Increasing satisfaction among the company’s staff

A carefully prepared, quality meal is an important benefit that shows the company’s care for its employees, making them feel valued and thereby increasing their commitment and loyalty.

When provided with fully nutritious, safe meals, company staff maintain a good level of physical fitness and have plenty of energy to work effectively throughout a long day. Employees also do not have to spend time going out to find a restaurant or preparing their own lunchbox, giving them more time to rest, relax and recharge so they are at their best for the afternoon’s work.

Comparing in-house cooking with hiring a professional catering provider

From the detailed analysis above, it is clear that hiring an industrial catering service is a convenient solution that brings businesses many outstanding benefits.

In the modern economy, where efficiency and a lean structure are the keys to success, handing over responsibility for meals to a professional partner helps a business:

•        Save considerably on investment and operating costs.

•        Ensure the highest level of quality and food safety and hygiene, avoiding legal and health risks.

•        Improve employees’ health, morale and productivity.

•        Free up resources to focus on core business activities, thereby driving growth and sustainable development.

If your business is looking for an industrial catering provider to optimise meals for your employees, do not hesitate to research and choose a reputable, experienced industrial catering partner to help build a professional, effective and prosperous working environment together.

With more than 10 years of experience in industrial catering, STAVI has become the trusted choice of many domestic and international customers. We deliver a professional, standardised service with full legal documentation and always put the customer at the centre. Customer satisfaction and trust are the driving force behind STAVI’s constant efforts to improve quality and deliver the safest, most nutritious and most complete meals. Contact  STAVI industrial catering via the hotline for detailed advice on quality industrial catering services.