Busy Bees is the leading nursery group in the UK and Ireland, with a global footprint spanning North America, Asia, Australia and beyond. In Ireland, Busy Bees operates under two well-known brands: Giraffe Childcare and Park Academy. Together, these brands span 34 sites across the country, with plans to continue growing.
As part of a broader commitment to improving procurement processes and financial oversight, Busy Bees Ireland has partnered with Avendra International. This partnership mirrors the successful collaboration already in place in the UK and represents a significant step toward aligning procurement practices across the entire Busy Bees Group.
Key challenges
Before this partnership, procurement across Busy Bees’ Irish operations was mainly manual and managed locally by each nursery. This resulted in varied pricing, multiple supplier relationships, and limited visibility and control at a group level.
“It felt like operating 34 individual businesses,” says Greta Paskauskiene, Health & Safety Manager for Busy Bees Ireland. “Each centre had its own approach, and there was no central overview. Our accounts team spent a lot of time managing invoices manually.”
Purchases were often made through supermarkets and credit cards, which made it harder to consistently track spending, monitor allergens, and maintain menu consistency.
“There wasn’t an easy way to track savings or ensure we were consistently getting the best value,” Greta adds. “We recognised the need for a more streamlined approach.”
Procurement support
In early 2025, Busy Bees Ireland sought procurement support from Avendra International for the roll out of its Pi procurement system across its nurseries. Pi includes a suite of modules for online ordering, menu planning, allergen management, invoice consolidation, real-time spend visibility and more - all in one centralised dashboard.
The rollout was guided by a dedicated and hands-on project team, including local account manager Stephen Muldowney and UK-based support from Sarah Garnade, who manages the ongoing relationship with Busy Bees UK.
Greta shares, "Their involvement made a huge difference. We had weekly meetings, site visits, and now that we’re in the second stage, we still have fortnightly check-ins. The communication has been excellent - I can always get support quickly when needed."
Supplier Consolidation & Central Oversight
One of the key benefits of partnering with Avendra International was supplier consolidation. By focusing on trusted national and local partners, the team was able to simplify purchasing, reduce delivery frequency, and gain better control over stock.
"Previously, everything was handled in isolation," Greta says. "Now, it’s all under one umbrella, plus I can log into the Pi system and see exactly what’s happening in every nursery - whether something was ordered, delivered incorrectly or needs to be followed up. It’s a huge improvement."
Financial and operational benefits
The move has already delivered a measurable impact, with projected savings of over €500,000 in the first year on food and beverage alone.
"It’s a fresh start – a game changer," Greta adds. "We can track spend daily, weekly, or monthly, and everything is centralised."
These efficiencies have significantly reduced administrative workloads, freeing up time for teams to focus on other priorities.
"Instead of managing hundreds of invoices and receipts, our account team now receives a single consolidated report, which makes their lives so much easier."
Operationally, the improvements are clear – credit card usage has been cut by over 50%, and nurseries now order exclusively from a centralised list of approved products, making purchasing faster, simpler, and more controlled.
"It’s very easy for each location to order what they need. I just oversee it and support the teams if needed," says Greta. "Before, I felt like I was micro-managing every detail. Now, the system takes care of that."
Improved Allergen compliance and visibility
Allergen and nutritional information are now standardised and traceable through the platform, supporting compliance and high-quality standards across all locations.
"Allergen tracking is simple now. It used to vary site by site - now it’s consistent and accessible in one place. We’ll stick with this, without a doubt."
Most importantly, the Pi system has given Busy Bees Ireland the tools to make better, faster decisions across the board.
Greta adds, “We’re now in a position where I can offer advice centrally. If there’s an issue in one centre, I can log in, track it and resolve it easily. I don’t need to do the chasing with suppliers - the data’s all there.”
Conclusion
As a group, Busy Bees Ireland is trialling recipe-based ordering, which uses occupancy data to help reduce over-ordering and waste with support from Avendra.
Partnering with Avendra International and implementing the Pi system has transformed procurement at Busy Bees Ireland. Beyond the financial gains, it has empowered teams, improved oversight, and laid the foundation for smarter operations across the group.
"The whole process has been handled so well," concludes Greta. "I’ve felt supported throughout. The system works, the Avendra International team is there when you need them, and we’re already seeing the benefits. It’s been a brilliant step forward – for me, my department, and the business overall."
We get it, and we can help.
If your organisation operates across multiple sites and you’d like to streamline procurement, reduce admin and improve spend visibility, our team is here to support you.
