How Pi is simplifying procurement across hospitality, healthcare and education
At a glance
Pi is Avendra International’s cloud-based eProcurement platform, bringing online ordering, invoices, stock, menus and reporting into one system.
Hospitality, healthcare and education operators can use Pi to improve purchasing visibility and coordinate teams across multiple sites.
Pi’s menu and allergen management module helps teams maintain and share product, recipe and allergen information.
Stock control and waste monitoring help teams track stock and identify opportunities to reduce food waste; one NHS hospital reported a 15% reduction.
Picnic supports electronic patient meal ordering for NHS healthcare clients; module availability should be confirmed for each organisation.
Pi is offered to Avendra International clients as a value-added service, with setup, training and ongoing support; confirm applicable scope and regional availability.
One platform to bring purchasing, stock, menus and more together.
Managing a catering operation means juggling ordering, invoicing, stock, waste, menus, allergens and financial reporting, often across multiple sites and teams.
Here's how hospitality, healthcare and education clients across the Netherlands, Ireland and Europe are using Pi.
Simplify purchasing and improve spend visibility
Managing purchasing across multiple sites can mean a lot of orders, suppliers and processes to keep track of. Pi brings these together in one place, helping teams save time and giving them a clearer view of purchasing across their operation.
“Pi is one of the best systems I’ve worked with. It’s intuitive, efficient and it saves our chefs a massive amount of time. It gives us the level of transparency and assurance we need when operating and managing multiple sites.”
— Paul Dempsey, Chief Operating Officer, PREM Ireland
At the University of Leeds, Pi also helps catering, finance and procurement teams work more collaboratively, bringing purchasing information and processes together in one place.
“Pi provides the right mix of online tools we were looking for to help our catering, procurement and finance teams work more collaboratively and effectively.”
— Mark Agar, Head of Facilities Procurement, University of Leeds
Keep menus and allergen information up to date
Across hospitality, healthcare and education, allergen compliance is non-negotiable. Pi's Menu & Allergen Management module helps operators keep product, recipe and menu information accurate, up to date and accessible.
At Trafalgar Theatres, the module has helped simplify allergen management across multiple venues:
“The Menu & Allergen Management module provides us with a safety net, ensuring we can provide dependable allergen information to our guests.”
— Paul Lawman, Head of Food & Beverage, Trafalgar Theatres
Manage stock and reduce food waste
Pi's Stock Management and Food Waste Monitoring modules give operators a clearer picture of what's being ordered, used and wasted, helping teams identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs and support sustainability goals.
At an NHS hospital, Pi's Food Waste Management module helped the catering team reduce food waste by 15%. By tracking waste at ward and item level, the team could identify where losses were occurring and develop targeted reduction plans.
For stock management, Pi can also build and update stock sheets using supplier invoice data, provide instant stock valuations and support multiple sites and store locations.
Simplify patient and resident meal ordering
For healthcare operators, Pi also includes Picnic, an electronic meal ordering module developed in collaboration with NHS clients. It gives patients and residents a simple way to order meals directly from their bedside.
At Royal Brompton & Harefield hospitals, Picnic forms part of a wider Pi setup alongside online ordering, stock and invoice management.
“Using the Pi system has been a game-changer for our operations. Alongside electronic patient meal ordering, we use several Pi modules, including online ordering, stock management and invoice management.”
- Nuno Matias, Catering Services Manager, Royal Brompton & Harefield
One eProcurement platform for greater control across catering operations
From purchasing and stock management to menus, allergens, invoices, food waste and patient meal ordering, Pi brings key catering processes together in one platform.
For multi-site operators, that means less time spent managing disconnected processes, greater visibility across the operation and more time to focus on delivering great food and service.
Pi is available to all Avendra International clients at no additional cost, including setup, training and ongoing support as part of our value-added service.
Want to see how Pi could work for your operation? Speak to your Avendra International account manager or contact Hello_Europe@avendra.com to find out which modules are available in your region or arrange a demo.
FAQs
What is Pi eProcurement and how does it support hospitality, healthcare and education?
Pi is Avendra International’s cloud-based eProcurement platform. It brings online ordering, invoice management, stock control, menu and allergen management, waste monitoring and reporting together to help catering, procurement and finance teams improve visibility and reduce administration.
How can Pi help multi-site catering teams control purchasing and invoices?
Pi centralises online ordering and purchasing information and supports invoice management and reporting. This gives hospitality, healthcare and education teams a clearer view of spend and helps reduce time spent on manual processes.
Can Pi help catering operators manage menu allergens across multiple locations?
Yes. Pi’s menu and allergen management module uses supplier product information to support recipe and menu records and make allergen information easier to maintain and share. Operators remain responsible for checking the accuracy of information and meeting applicable food safety obligations.
How does Pi help hospitals reduce food waste and manage stock?
Pi provides stock management and food waste monitoring tools to help teams see what is purchased, used and discarded. In one reported NHS hospital example, ward- and item-level waste tracking supported a 15% reduction in food waste; outcomes will vary.
Does Pi support electronic patient meal ordering and is it included for Avendra clients?
Pi includes Picnic, an electronic meal ordering module developed with NHS clients to support bedside meal ordering. Pi is provided as a value-added service to Avendra International clients, with setup, training and support; organisations should confirm the modules available to them and in their region.
