Leading independent London caterer, Vacherin is reporting that annual turnover has risen for the 14th consecutive year. Figures published this week for the year ended 31 August 2016 show turnover at £17.2m, a rise of 14.4% over the previous year.
Executive Finance Director, Clive Hetherington, commented that the consistent rise in turnover over a prolonged period, driven entirely from organic growth demonstrated the success of the strategy to which he and fellow founder, Mark Philpott, had committed from day one.
Hetherington continued, “These results come in the year that Vacherin completed the most significant senior team restructure in its history which in my view demonstrates the robustness of our business model and the commitment and cohesiveness of our entire team. We are delighted to report that operating profits have been maintained despite the additional investment, driven by the further growth in turnover.”
The restructure saw Philpott become Chairman, with Phil Roker, longstanding Commercial Director, taking the helm as Managing Director. Hetherington remains as Executive Finance Director whilst new appointment, Sam Feenan assumes day-to-day responsibility for finances as Head of Finance, Purchasing & Administration. Zoe Watts, previously of Creative Events, takes on Roker’s previous role as Director of Business Development & Communication. These two joined the existing senior team to facilitate a new era of growth. The company remains 100% owned by Philpott, Hetherington and Roker.
Vacherin has matched commercial success with a deepening commitment to sustainability. Landmarks include: becoming a zero-waste-to-landfill company; sending 5,000kg of coffee grounds to be converted to biofuel; and serving 3,900kg of cosmetically rejected fruit and vegetables. Employee motivation is also high. Staff turnover is better than the industry average at just 28% and 95% of employees would recommend Vacherin to a friend or family member.
Chairman and co-owner Mark Philpott said, “Our strategy continues to prove successful and our philosophy remains unchanged. We will continue to exceed our clients’ expectations by working in partnership with them; with our employees; and with all our business partners.
'Our obsession with food and service quality remains undiminished. We have spent three years strategically building a new team that has been instrumental in making Vacherin the success story that it is today. The investment we have made in restructuring the business will allow us to grow even more whilst maintaining our commitment to our core values.”
Managing Director and co-owner Phil Roker said, “I’m delighted that these results show that we have built on the success story of the previous 13 years, continue to exceed our clients’ expectations, and remain one of the best companies to work for in London.'