Global Contract Catering Market: Analysis By Ownership (Standalone, and Chain), By Application (Business and Industrial, Hospitality Services, Healthcare, Education, Sports and leisure, and Others), By Region Size and Trends with Impact of COVID-19 and Fo

Global Contract Catering Market: Analysis By Ownership (Standalone, and Chain), By Application (Business and Industrial, Hospitality Services, Healthcare, Education, Sports and leisure, and Others), By Region Size and Trends with Impact of COVID-19 and Forecast up to 2029


Contract catering is a specialized form of food service that encompasses a wide array of catering solutions provided by a contract catering company for an event or an organization under a contractual agreement. A catering contract is a service agreement between a caterer and their client that provides contractors and clients with a thorough understanding of timeliness, menu, beverages, staff requirements, and payment expectations. The contract catering market refers to the industry that provides food and related services (including cleaning and facility management) to a variety of organizations, including government, industry, corporate offices, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, sport and entertainment venues, military facilities, and offshore facilities. The global contract catering market value stood at US$260.68 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach US$353.75 billion by 2029.

Global contract catering market demonstrated a consistent growth, primarily driven by increasing demand for nutritional and hygienic food among geriatric care centers and educational institutions, rise in number of food joints like restaurants and hotels, increasing popularity of weekend parties in corporate sector, growing number of tourism activities, increasing consumer focus on health & wellbeing, escalating demand for top-notch food solutions, rising trend of fine dining to establish a good relationship with clients as a part of business development, and rapidly growing hospitality industry, etc. Furthermore, emergence of advanced business models offering ad-hoc workplace food services, shifting emphasis on sustainability and responsible sourcing, increasing focus of contract catering companies on digital marketing and branding, ongoing technological advancements with increasing use of digital menu displays and block chain technology, and rising emphasis of caterers on providing premium table services, exotic ingredients, live food counters and aesthetic delicacies in a profound manner, etc., will continue to boost the growth of global contract catering market in the upcoming years. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.22% over the projected period of 2024-2029.

Market Segmentation Analysis:

By Ownership: The report provides the bifurcation of the contract catering market into two segments based on ownership, namely, standalone, and chain. Standalone contract catering is the largest segment of global contract catering market as a result of rapid urbanization, growing demand for tailored menus and food services, rising consumer emphasis on health and well-being, increasing focus of standalone contract caterers on personalized service and strong client relationships, increasing adoption of online booking platforms, food delivery apps, and social media marketing to attract large consumer base, and added advantage for standalone caterers in the form of lower overhead costs and deep understanding of local tastes, preferences, and cultural nuances compared to managed service providers. Chain contract catering is the fastest growing segment of global contract catering market as a result of well-established brand recognition, broader geographic reach, increasing demand for consistent and reliable contract catering services by educational institutions and healthcare facilities, and added benefit for clients in terms of economies of scale, lower costs per unit, and provision of consistent quality meals.

By Application: The report provides the bifurcation of the contract catering market into six segments on the basis of application: business and industrial, hospitality services, healthcare, education, sports and leisure, and others. Business and industrial is the largest segment of the global contract catering market as a result of growing workforce, rapid industrialization, consistent and stable corporate demand, rapid globalization of corporate operations, and contract catering being a cost-effective solution in comparison to maintaining in-house cafeteria operations. Healthcare is the fastest growing segment of global contract catering market owing to rapidly aging population, rising focus of government on public health, and growing emphasis of medical institutions on critical role of nutrition in patient recovery and overall well-being.

By Region: The report provides insight into the contract catering market based on regions namely, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world. North America dominated the global contract catering market owing to rapidly expanding gig economy, well-established culture of dining out, rising consumer disposable income, increased presence of in-house and off-premise caterers, continuous demand for diverse and innovative culinary experiences, rapidly maturing business-to-business event industry, and presence of large number of corporations, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities in the region. The US is the largest region of North America contract catering market as a result of increased demand for round-the-clock access to high-quality food on a work day, rise in fresh food subscription model, presence of a large number of business institutions and corporate offices in cities like New York and Silicon Valley, and shifting emphasis on sustainability and responsible sourcing.

Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region within global contract catering market owing to booming corporate sector, presence of large population base, increasing millennial workforce, growing demand for healthy and sustainable catering options, growing focus on Chinese Government on elderly care, rising number of companies recognizing the importance of employee well-being and offering on-site catering, and increasing number of international companies setting up operations in the region.

Market Dynamics:

Growth Drivers: The global contract catering market has been rapidly growing over the past few years, due to factors such as rapidly growing hospitality industry, increasing working population, ongoing trend of outsourcing food services, rising consumer emphasis on health and well-being, rapid digitalization and increasing penetration of smart devices, etc. Consumers are increasingly becoming more health conscious, leading to a higher demand for contract catering services that offer a variety of nutritious and balanced meal alternatives, including plant-based, organic, and allergen-free choices to cater to a wide variety of dietary requirements. Also, businesses in a variety of industries are increasingly recognizing the benefits of outsourcing their food operations to specialized catering companies in order to ensure streamlined operations, lower overhead costs, and improved overall efficiency. Therefore, increasing consumer demand for nutritious and wholesome meals, rising need for culturally sensitive catering services in modern workplaces, and growing demand for transparency in sourcing and nutritional information will continue to drive the demand for contract catering services in the forecasted period.

Challenges: However, the global contract catering market growth would be negatively impacted by various challenges such as rising labor costs, fluctuating food prices, etc. Fluctuating food prices can result in increased costs for contract caterers, as any fluctuations in the prices of essential ingredients can put pressure on profit margins, especially if contracts are fixed-price or have limited flexibility to adjust pricing. Also, many contract catering agreements are based on fixed budgets, so if food prices increase unexpectedly, caterers find it challenging to maintain the same level of service within the agreed-upon budget, potentially leading to a decrease in the quality or variety of food offerings.

Trends: The global contract catering market is projected to grow at a fast pace during the forecasted period, due to emergence of advanced business models offering ad-hoc workplace food services, shifting emphasis on sustainability and responsible sourcing, increasing focus on digital marketing and branding, ongoing technological advancements, increasing demand for global flavors and authentic experiences, etc. Contract catering companies are increasingly utilizing digital marketing strategies to promote their services and build a strong online presence and effective branding for attracting clients and customers. Digital marketing allows contract catering companies to reach a broader audience by establishing a strong online presence through a well-designed website, active social media profiles, and strategic use of digital advertising. Therefore, increasing focus on digital marketing and branding is expected to boost the growth of global contract catering market.

Impact Analysis of COVID-19 and Way Forward:

COVID-19 brought in many changes in the world in terms of reduced productivity, loss of life, business closures, closing down of factories and organizations, and shift to an online mode of work. Lockdown policies and social distancing measures imposed by the government to prevent virus spread forced various businesses, offices, educational institutions, and event venues to either shut down or operate with limited capacity, resulting in a sudden fall in the demand of contract catering services. Also, increasing restrictions on gatherings, reduced household disposable income, surge in prices of necessity goods like food, and ongoing cancellation of corporate events, conferences, weddings, and other large gatherings, resulted in reduced revenue and increased financial penalties, for major contract catering companies and businesses in food service industry as they heavily relied on these events for a substantial portion of their revenue.

Furthermore, the pandemic resulted in a negative shift in people's attitudes towards consuming outside food in communal settings, and a decrease in demand for buffet-style contract services.

Competitive Landscape:

The global contract catering market is moderately consolidated. Major companies in the market have been implementing various strategies to expand their product portfolio and gain competitive edge, including offering diverse and customizable menus to cater to diverse consumer preferences, leveraging technological advancements to streamline service delivery & enhance customer experience, and demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing to resonate with environmentally conscious clients.

The key players of the global contract catering market are:

Compass Group PLC
Sodexo
Elior Group
NEC Corporation (Amadeus Food)
Newrest Group
CH&Co Catering Group Ltd.
Caterleisure Group
Connect Catering Services DMCC
ABM Catering Solutions
BM Contract Caterers

Key vendors in the contract catering market are offering value additions such as employee support, training, and guaranteed service-level agreements to gain a larger market share. The leading vendors are also investing in expanding their international presence and creating strong brand images for their services. The increasing number of M&A activities, geographic expansions, and service diversifications will intensify the level of competition in the global market. For instance, in 2023, workplace caterer, Blue Apple, has announced that it is to join forces with independent caterer and Royal Warrant holder, CH&CO, where the merger is expected to expand CH&CO’s workplace portfolio, strengthening its positioning in the marketplace.

Global Contract Catering Market: Analysis By Ownership (Standalone, and Chain), By Application (Business and Industrial, Hospitality Services, Healthcare, Education, Sports and leisure, and Others), By Region Size and Trends with Impact of COVID-19 and Forecast up to 2029 - Report Summary
Report Metrics Details
Years Considered 2019-2029
Base Year 2023
Forecast Period 2024-2029
Page Count 126
Units Referenced US $
Segments/Key Topics By Ownership, By Application
Regions Covered North America (The US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Spain, Germany, France, UK, and Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Rest of Asia Pacific), and Rest of the World
Key Companies Mentioned Compass Group PLC, Sodexo, Elior Group, NEC Corporation (Amadeus Food), Newrest Group, CH&Co Catering Group Ltd., Caterleisure Group, Connect Catering Services DMCC, ABM Catering Solutions, and BM Contract Caterers

Five FAQs about the Report

What is the size of this market?
The global contract catering market was valued at US$260.68 billion in 2023.

What is the forecasted growth for this market?
The market is expected to reach US$353.75 billion by 2029, and grow at a CAGR of 5.22% over the projected period of 2024-2029.

What are key factors driving this market?
The contract catering market growth is driven by factors such as increasing demand for nutritional and hygienic food among geriatric care centers and educational institutions, rise in number of food joints like restaurants and hotels, increasing popularity of weekend parties in corporate sector, growing number of tourism activities, increasing consumer focus on health & wellbeing, escalating demand for top-notch food solutions, rising trend of fine dining to establish a good relationship with clients as a part of business development, rapidly growing hospitality industry, etc.

How is this market segmented in this report?
In the report, the market is segmented on the basis of ownership (standalone, and chain), and application (business and industrial, hospitality services, healthcare, education, sports and leisure, and others).

What is the definition of this market in this report?
Contract catering is a specialized form of food service that encompasses a wide array of catering solutions provided by a contract catering company for an event or an organization under a contractual agreement. The contract catering market refers to the industry that provides food and related services (including cleaning and facility management) to a variety of organizations, including government, industry, corporate offices, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, sport and entertainment venues, military facilities, and offshore facilities.

What are the major influences driving the growth/decline of this market?
The global contract catering market has increased from 2020-2023 and the projections are made that the market will continue to rise in the next five years i.e. 2024-2029. The demand for contract caterers has been rising significantly in recent years, owing to rapidly growing hospitality industry, increasing working population, ongoing trend of outsourcing food services, rising consumer emphasis on health and well-being, rapid digitalization and increasing penetration of smart devices, etc. Further, the market is expected to grow at a rapid pace, driven by emergence of advanced business models offering ad-hoc workplace food services, shifting emphasis on sustainability and responsible sourcing, increasing focus on digital marketing and branding, ongoing technological advancements, increasing demand for global flavors and authentic experiences, etc. Yet the market faces some challenges such as rising labor costs, fluctuating food prices, etc.


1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
2.1 Contract Catering: An Overview
2.1.1 Definition of Contract Catering
2.1.2 Benefits of Contract Catering
Table 1: Benefits of Contract Catering
2.2 Contract Catering Segmentation: An Overview
2.2.1 Contract Catering Segmentation: An Overview
Table 2: Contract Catering Segmentation
3. Global Market Analysis
3.1 Global Contract Catering Market: An Analysis
3.1.1 Global Contract Catering Market: An Overview
3.1.2 Global Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 3: Global Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 4: Global Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.1.3 Global Contract Catering Market by Ownership (Standalone, and Chain)
Table 5: Global Contract Catering Market by Ownership; 2023 (Percentage, %)
3.1.4 Global Contract Catering Market by Application (Business and Industrial, Hospitality Services, Healthcare, Education, Sports and Leisure, And Others)
Table 6: Global Contract Catering Market by Application; 2023 (Percentage, %)
3.1.5 Global Contract Catering Market by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world)
Table 7: Global Contract Catering Market by Region; 2023 (Percentage, %)
3.2 Global Contract Catering Market: Ownership Analysis
3.2.1 Global Contract Catering Market: Ownership Overview
3.2.2 Global Standalone Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 8: Global Standalone Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 9: Global Standalone Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.2.3 Global Chain Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 10: Global Chain Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 11: Global Chain Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3 Global Contract Catering Market: Application Analysis
3.3.1 Global Contract Catering Market: Application Overview
3.3.2 Global Business and Industrial Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 12: Global Business and Industrial Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 13: Global Business and Industrial Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3.3 Global Hospitality Services Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 14: Global Hospitality Services Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 15: Global Hospitality Services Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3.4 Global Healthcare Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 16: Global Healthcare Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 17: Global Healthcare Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3.5 Global Education Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 18: Global Education Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 19: Global Education Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3.6 Global Sports and Leisure Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 20: Global Sports and Leisure Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 21: Global Sports and Leisure Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
3.3.7 Global Others Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 22: Global Others Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 23: Global Others Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4. Regional Market Analysis
4.1 North America Contract Catering Market: An Analysis
4.1.1 North America Contract Catering Market: An Overview
4.1.2 North America Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 24: North America Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 25: North America Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.1.3 North America Contract Catering Market by Region (the US, Canada, and Mexico)
Table 26: North America Contract Catering Market by Region; 2023 (Percentage, %)
4.1.4 The US Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 27: The US Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 28: The US Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.1.5 Canada Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 29: Canada Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 30: Canada Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.1.6 Mexico Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 31: Mexico Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 32: Mexico Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2 Europe Contract Catering Market: An Analysis
4.2.1 Europe Contract Catering Market: An Overview
4.2.2 Europe Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 33: Europe Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 34: Europe Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2.3 Europe Contract Catering Market by Region (Spain, Germany, France, UK, and rest of Europe)
Table 35: Europe Contract Catering Market by Region; 2023 (Percentage, %)
4.2.4 Spain Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 36: Spain Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 37: Spain Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2.5 Germany Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 38: Germany Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 39: Germany Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2.6 France Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 40: France Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 41: France Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2.7 UK Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 42: UK Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 43: UK Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.2.8 Rest of Europe Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 44: Rest of Europe Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 45: Rest of Europe Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3 Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market: An Analysis
4.3.1 Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market: An Overview
4.3.2 Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 46: Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 47: Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3.3 Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Region (China, Japan, South Korea, India, and rest of Asia Pacific)
Table 48: Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Region; 2023 (Percentage, %)
4.3.4 China Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 49: China Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 50: China Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3.5 Japan Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 51: Japan Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 52: Japan Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3.6 South Korea Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 53: South Korea Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 54: South Korea Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3.7 India Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 55: India Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 56: India Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.3.8 Rest of Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 57: Rest of Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 58: Rest of Asia Pacific Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
4.4 Rest of the World Contract Catering Market: An Analysis
4.4.1 Rest of the World Contract Catering Market: An Overview
4.4.2 Rest of the World Contract Catering Market by Value
Table 59: Rest of the World Contract Catering Market by Value; 2019-2023 (US$ Billion)
Table 60: Rest of the World Contract Catering Market by Value; 2024-2029 (US$ Billion)
5. Impact of COVID-19
5.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Contract Catering Market
5.2 Post COVID-19 Impact on Contract Catering Market
6. Market Dynamics
6.1 Growth Drivers
6.1.1 Rapidly Growing Hospitality Industry
Table 61: Global Hotel and Resort Industry Market Size; 2018-2023 (US$ Trillion)
6.1.2 Increasing Working Population
Table 62: Global Number of Employees; 2018-2023 (Billion)
6.1.3 Ongoing Trend of Outsourcing Food Services
Table 63: Global Share of Outsourced Caterers; 2022 (Percentage, %)
6.1.4 Rapid Digitalization and Increasing Penetration of Smart Devices
6.1.5 Rising Consumer Emphasis on Health and Well-being
6.2 Challenges
6.2.1 Rising Labor Costs
Table 64: The US Employment Cost Index For All Employees; 2018-2023 (Index)
6.2.2 Fluctuating Food Prices
Table 65: Global Price Of Food Index; 2018-2023 (Index)
6.3 Market Trends
6.3.1 Emergence Of Advanced Business Models Offering Ad-hoc Workplace Food Services
6.3.2 Shifting Emphasis On Sustainability And Responsible Sourcing
6.3.3 Increasing Focus on Digital Marketing and Branding
6.3.4 Ongoing Technological Advancements
6.3.5 Rising Demand For Global Flavors And Authentic Experiences
6.3.6 Hyper-local Offerings
7. Competitive Landscape
7.1 Global Contract Catering Market: Competitive Landscape
8. Company Profiles
8.1 Compass Group PLC
8.1.1 Business Overview
8.1.2 Operating Segments
Table 66: Compass Group PLC Revenue by Segments; 2023 (Percentage, %)
8.1.3 Business Strategy
8.2 Sodexo
8.2.1 Business Overview
8.2.2 Revenue by Zone
Table 67: Sodexo Revenue by Zone; 2023 (Percentage, %)
8.2.3 Business Strategy
8.3 Elior Group
8.3.1 Business Overview
8.3.2 Operating Segments
Table 68: Elior Group Total Revenue by Segments; 2023 (Percentage, %)
8.3.3 Business Strategy
8.4 NEC Corporation (Amadeus Food)
8.4.1 Business Overview
8.4.2 Revenue by Business
Table 69: NEC Corporation (Amadeus Food) Revenue by Business; 2022 (Percentage, %)
8.4.3 Business Strategy
8.5 Newrest Group
8.5.1 Business Overview
8.5.2 Business Strategy
8.6 CH&Co Catering Group Ltd.
8.6.1 Business Overview
8.6.2 Business Strategy
8.7 Caterleisure Group
8.7.1 Business Overview
8.7.2 Business Strategy
8.8 Connect Catering Services DMCC
8.8.1 Business Overview
8.9 ABM Catering Solutions
8.9.1 Business Overview
8.10 BM Contract Caterers
8.10.1 Business Overview

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