Care may not be the sexy end of foodservice but for brands looking for growth they may very well want to take a closer look. I spent the 2nd of November at the Sofitel London St James for Arena’s third cost sector breakfast, ‘More than a Meal: The Future of Care and Senior Living Catering’, and left wondering how many brands are overlooking it.

How big is the UK care catering market?

According to IGD, care homes will account for £1.3bn of food and drink sales in 2026, serving 441m meals through 22,394 outlets with 611,000 beds between them. Care is the biggest part of UK healthcare catering, with 55% of its value and 79% of its outlets.

Nicola Knight, Head of Away From Home at IGD, opened with ONS projections. By 2034 the number of people of pensionable age is expected to reach 14.2m, up from 12.4m in 2024, a fifth of the population and the fastest-growing life stage. The over-85s are set to rise from 1.8m to 2.5m.

The old age dependency ratio – the number of people of pensionable age for every 1,000 of working age – also climbs from 280 in 2024 to 310 in 2034 and 329 by 2049. In other words, more people will need looking after and there will be fewer around to do it.

Groups operate 71% of care home outlets, yet serve 92% of the meals and account for 91% of sales, so a few of the right contracts can deliver real volume. IGD also highlighted stable long-term contracts and noted that suppliers who get compliance right have a real edge, helping them leverage this growing sector.

Why does food matter so much in care?

For many residents, mealtimes are the main social moment of the day, and in extra care settings lunch may be someone’s only proper meal. Food also brings back memories and supports health, which is why the panel focused so much on dignity and hospitality.

The panel discussion, facilitated by Nicola, made it clear that this sector is far more varied than most people assume, and catering for the elderly is only part of it. Laura Tighe of Compass’s White Oaks Healthcare described residents who still work and choose retirement villages for the company, while Gill Heath’s portfolio at Elior UK includes homeless shelters and convents of retired nuns even!

Some ideas were lovely in their simplicity. Neel Radia, National Chairman of the NACC, described a care home that turned its dining room into a pub, opened crisp packets and all. Paulius Kriksciunas of BUPA serves Friday fish and chips in takeaway boxes and Gill’s teams cook memory meals that get families chatting.

Laura also wants more talk about nutrition in later life, pointing out that we need more protein at 65 than at 30 due to the way our bodies process this macro nutrient. Texture needs can change overnight after a stroke, yet a modified meal should still look like a proper plate of food, ideally the same dish as everyone else’s to maintain dining with dignity.

What do care caterers want from food suppliers?

The biggest ask was help with staffing. Many care kitchens have one chef, and covering their two days off each week is the hardest part. Operators want products and equipment that let a less experienced cook serve a meal residents wouldn’t know the chef hadn’t made.

Gill suggested sous vide products and good sauces to ensure a seamless service. Whilst Paulius has sat through plenty of supplier demos this year and would much rather hear how a product solves his problems than hear about product features – something suppliers would do well to remember.

How is the sector raising the profile of care chefs?

Mostly through training and recognition. The NACC and the Hospital Caterers Association have launched an accredited Level 2 award for care and hospital caterers, with ambitions to see more qualifications in the future

At operator level, Elior UK has teamed up with a celeb chef on a care catering academy, with 40 chefs signed up already. Whilst Bupa’s Great Bupa Menu competition is open to everyone from chefs to care assistants and housekeepers, and the best dishes go into their cookbook and can even make it onto menus. Laura added that care already attracts excellent chefs later in their careers, when split shifts lose their appeal. The challenge is they are often towards the end of their career so there is natural attrition. So it’s critical to get fresh young talent into the sector – something Neel is passionate about.

What does this mean for foodservice brands?

  • Start with the staffing problem and show how your product helps when the head chef isn’t in.
  • Texture-modified versions that look just like the main dish hit the mark.
  • There’s real appetite for support with training, competitions and anything that helps chefs feel valued and shines a spotlight on the sector.
  • Do your homework with site visits and speak to the chefs and care home managers to understand their challenges.
  • Don’t assume care catering is just catering for the elderly, there a wide range of needs from community living restaurants to catering for the disabled or shelters and of course meals on wheels.
  • If you can develop a product that meets strict compliance and solves a problem – you’re onto a winner!
  • Care catering deserves to be on your radar as far as future proofing your brand, as ONS projections show the UK’s pensionable age population reaching 14.2m by 2034, faster growth than any other life stage.
  • Relatively young seniors are choosing communities for company and lifestyle and may still be working. So don’t pigeon hole care as catering purely for the elderly. Those in their 50’s and 60’s have very different tastes to a 9- year old.

Thanks to Lorraine Wood and the Arena team for another great event, which also raised £900 for Springboard. If you are interested in the opportunities the care sector may have for your brand and could benefit from a marketing partner who understands how to reach decision makers across the care sector get in touch here.

Susan Wickes
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