MITIE, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company, this week formally launched its new brand for its catering business – Gather & Gather – at The Brewery in central London.
Based around a culture of bringing food and people together, the new identity features as the new trading name and customer facing identity for MITIE’s catering business.
Gather & Gather will focus on bringing together the best ideas, ingredients, recipes and inspiration from the food industry so that customers can ‘gather’ together to enjoy them in the workplace.
The launch event showcased a sample of ideas from the company, including pairing menus, canapés from Gather & Gather’s event chefs at The Brewery, a brew bar in partnership with Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, and Diageo’s talented mixologists.
Speakers included Tim Oldman of Leesman, who discussed how office environments can support employees through workplace effectiveness, including food service as a key area of focus.
Niki Segnit, author of The Flavour Thesaurus, also spoke, along with Ruby McGregor-Smith, CBE, chief executive of MITIE.
Entrepreneurial investment model
Two years ago MITIE recruited a new management team to lead its catering business under an entrepreneurial investment model. Since then, the business has more than trebled its turnover through new contract wins and the acquisition of award winning hospitality company Creativevents, making it the fastest growing caterer in the UK and Ireland.
The rebrand to Gather & Gather marks an important step in the evolution of MITIE’s catering business. Developing this ethos has been an integral culture shift for the team behind the business, and now forms a keystone for the brand.
Gather & Gather combines a new approach to marketing with a learning and development programme for all staff, to understand the values that underpin the name change.
Delivering great service
Allister Richards, managing director of Gather & Gather, who has led from the front over the past two years, said:
“Gather & Gather is a reflection of our business maturing from focusing on what we do, to how we do it. Bringing the ideas and creativity of a dynamic team together, and translating that into delivering great service.
“We’re readdressing the balance between client, customer and caterer, and putting the customer at the heart of what we do, offering something truly different to the marketplace.”