After a competitive tender process, Chartwells has been selected as the new catering provider for Hampshire County Council’s nurseries and schools.
The company will deliver value to families and schools throughout the county while maintaining its dedication to providing high-quality, nutritious meals.
The tender process highlighted shared values between the organisations, especially their mutual commitment to supporting pupils and parents across Hampshire. This is exemplified through the Beyond The Chartwells Kitchen Education programme, which equips pupils with knowledge about health and nutrition, cooking and food, sustainability, and wellbeing.
The process also uncovered a shared emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability, with clear strategies to achieve net-zero carbon emissions through education, menu engineering, and waste reduction. Additionally, Chartwells has pledged a CAPEX investment in Hampshire schools.
Starting January 2026, under the new agreement, schools, nurseries, and families will benefit from a reduced meal price of £2.75. Additionally, schools and nurseries will implement Chartwells’ award-winning allergen management system, supervised by a specialist medical diet nutritionist, who will also lead “Nudge Nudge” campaigns to encourage healthier meal choices among pupils.
As part of the agreement, Hampshire County Council will retain overall responsibility and oversight of the service, while Chartwells will manage day-to-day operations.
Quality will be ensured through a rigorous assurance process in collaboration with the County Council. Procurement commitments include using 100% British Red Tractor Assured milk, beef, sausages, and eggs, as well as exclusively serving Marine Stewardship Council-certified fish rated 1-3.
Councillor Steve Forster, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “I am pleased that thanks to our new partnership with Chartwells, we are now able to offer a more affordable meal price of £2.75 while continuing to drive positive change in our schools around food education and sustainability. Chartwells is a long-standing and well-established school meals provider, and we look forward to working with them from January.”
Lisa Priestley, Managing Director, Chartwells Schools, said: “We are delighted to be working with Hampshire County Council to deliver value to its schools, parents and pupils. This is a true partnership, which will see us work collaboratively to deliver positive outcomes for schools and the communities in which they operate.
“We are committed to delivering quality, safe, inclusive meals for pupils, utilising the power of our scale, processes and procedures to drive efficiencies. This is all underpinned by our belief in harnessing the power of food education to inform pupils with knowledge that will lead to healthier lives and positive outcomes. We very much look forward to working with Hampshire County Council on a smooth integration to achieve this shared goal.”