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Start-up Q Catering plans for long term growth with Affinitus Freshware

There’s a business consultancy adage that while many start-ups contemplate failure, few put the necessary plans in place to manage success.

That’s a criticism that can’t be levelled at Sittingbourne-based Q Catering. Established in March 2003 and already boasting a pro-rata turnover of around £1 million, its managing director Roger Snelling is thinking big and has put effective, cost efficient IT at the heart of a business delivering wholesale catering supplies to clients across Kent.

As a former MD of Cavendish Foods and with 20 odd years’ experience in the business, he’s a man who knows a thing or two about keeping it lean to the satisfaction of the board, shareholders and – above all – the customer.

He established Q Catering following two decades with Cavendish (and saw the sector of the business with which he was charged increase turnover from a half a million to £24 million) before a spell at EFG Food Service and moving onto his latest venture.

Leading a small team of six – all from an industry background – Q Catering has impressive plans. But they are ones founded on solid, considered objectives rather than ambitious naivety.

“ One of the most important challenges facing any business in the current climate – never mind one that’s been established during a well documented economic downturn – is the efficiency of procedures and the effective flow of information,” says Roger.

It’s a business objective that has led him to the Affinitus Freshware system. No stranger to the leading industry software, he introduced it at Cavendish Foods after three years looking critically at the competition and just to reinforce his confidence saw it in operation again at EFG.

“ In launching Q Catering one of our prime considerations was ensuring we put procedures in place for the future. We have ambitious plans and had to invest in software able to cope with that intended growth. As a start-up we also have to keep staff costs to a minimum and productivity high,” adds Roger.

“ Affinitus Freshware enables us to access comprehensive stock, sales order and distribution information instantly but our decision to go with the software went far beyond basic data retrieval.

“ We wanted a system that could be tailored to our specific needs and demands, we needed software than was Windows rather than Unix-based and, most importantly, a flexible package that would adapt and grow as Q Catering adapts and grows.”

From the Affinitus stable of software packages, Freshware comprises a number of modules designed specifically for the fresh food and produce industry.

It has quickly established a niche market serving importers, wholesalers, growers, multiple suppliers and the transport and distribution sectors among them. Each installation is configured to suit a customer’s specific needs as Paul Hardy, Affinitus managing director, explains:

“ Flexibility is vital and that is why Freshware has been adopted so widely throughout the industry. It’s a software package featuring many options that can be built into the system to produce an impressive level of customising and, as the industry moves towards supplying the multiples, it’s a package offering up to the minute management and operational information with detailed financial and statistical analysis.”

For a man who oversees a business serving restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, hotels, pubs and work place canteens, Snelling’s decision to go with Affinitus Freshware has been a defining one.

“Everything we’ve done in establishing the business has been based on rapid growth and I see this software as integral to that goal. What has really surprised us is the way that Freshware has enabled us to cope so impressively with everything we’ve thrown at it.”

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