Challenge: As a rural day and boarding school catering for pupils from nursery to sixth form, Langley faced rising food prices, limited local supplier competition due to its Norfolk location, and county-wide catering staff shortages.
Solution: A bespoke procurement partnership with Avendra International, including supplier tendering, onboarding of local suppliers such as a local butcher, and use of the Pi eProcurement system for invoicing, allergen and nutrition data.
Results: Consolidated, validated supplier invoicing, savings through eBilling and invoice price checking, real-time spend visibility, and a trusted, dedicated account manager relationship at no additional cost to the school.
About Langley School
Langley School, nestled within 110 acres of picturesque Norfolk countryside, stands as a beacon of educational excellence for almost 800 students aged 6 months to 18 years. With a history dating back to 1858, Langley is comprised of two campuses, Taverham Park and Langley Park, offering a rich array of facilities and a nurturing environment for students, with over 280 members of staff.
We sat down with Rachel Smith, Director of Compliance and Operations, and Tim Green, Head Chef at Langley, to delve into the challenges they faced in managing costs related to their food and beverage services and the strategic partnership they formed with Avendra International to overcome these hurdles.
The challenge: sourcing quality food in a remote rural location
Providing high-quality food service at Langley School has been a top priority. Still, challenges such as rising food prices, limited supply options due to the school’s rural location, and catering staff shortages across the county, created obstacles for the team.
Rachel Smith highlighted the complexity: “As a Day and Boarding School catering for pupils from nursery to sixth form students, we cater for a variety of dietary needs, it is very important to us to deliver high-quality meals, made with locally sourced, fresh ingredients.”
Tim Green added: “We face challenges such as operating three kitchens, we have relatively restricted delivery windows and we accommodate a variety of dietary requirements, including vegan, gluten-free, while operating a nut-free environment. The food service is fairly intensive, providing three meals a day, every day; we also cater for internal and external events. It’s a 7-day-a-week operation.”
The solution: a bespoke procurement partnership with Avendra International
Langley School sought a reliable partner to help them navigate these challenges and found a steadfast ally in Avendra International. Rachel emphasised the longstanding relationship: “We have been working with Avendra International for many years. Despite facing limited supplier competition in the tender initial Avendra International managed for us due to our remote location, the Avendra International team helped us to achieve savings while maintaining the high level of quality we require.”
The Avendra International team supports the school with the supply chain management for both food and beverage requirements. They ensure the school team receives the products they want when needed, and at the agreed contract pricing – this includes local suppliers, who are essential to the school.
Tim explains how Avendra International supports the school’s commitment to high-quality, healthy, and locally sourced food: “Avendra International onboarded a local butcher for us and supported us with local ingredients, addressing the supply challenges we face due to our location in Norfolk.”
Operational and financial impact: efficiency gains with the Pi eProcurement system
Avendra International’s support has extended beyond sourcing to operational and financial efficiencies. Rachel highlighted the benefits of using the online platform, Pi.
“Our finance team uses Pi system, which saves us so much time, reduces admin, and increases efficiencies. We receive one invoice for our catering, which Avendra International validates as they check if suppliers have correctly charged us, and this alone is invaluable. Furthermore, the Pi system provides allergen and nutrition data, which is valuable for our menu planning.”
Rachel Smith, Director of Compliance and Operations.
The results: time savings, invoice accuracy and a trusted partnership
The collaboration with Avendra International has proven invaluable for Langley School. Tim emphasised how much Avendra International’s software has helped improve efficiencies: “The transparency in the Pi Procurement system is the big thing for me. I can go online, and check invoices, credit notes, and our spending – all in real-time, which is really useful. We can keep on top of everything and know exactly where we are. Plus, last year, we had considerable savings due to eBilling (paying suppliers online), and the invoice price checking feature.
“It’s also important to mention the consistent support we receive from Christine, our procurement account manager, is crucial. We really value her support, whether in person, over the phone or via email.”
Rachel echoed this sentiment: “The relationship we have with Avendra International is key. The team is reliable and helps us to stay on top of market changes, price fluctuations, and service delivery from our suppliers. We feel we are in safe hands; it’s like always having an additional team member on our side, yet with no additional cost to our school.”
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Avendra International - the personal support and comprehensive eProcurement system, Pi, has been instrumental. The consistency in service, combined with the expertise Avendra International brings, make them an invaluable partner.”
- Tim Green, Head Chef.
Get in touch: bespoke procurement support for schools
To learn more about how Avendra International can help your business achieve its goals and improve efficiencies, email us at hello_UK@Avendra.com.
FAQs
Can Avendra International help schools source quality food in remote or rural locations with limited supplier options?
Yes. Avendra International helps schools navigate limited local supplier competition by managing supplier tenders and onboarding suitable suppliers, including local and regional producers, so schools can maintain high-quality, locally sourced food even in more remote areas.
What is the Avendra Pi eProcurement system and what does it offer?
Pi is Avendra International's cloud-based eProcurement platform, bringing procurement, catering, operations and finance together in one system. It gives education caterers a single source of truth for purchasing, inventory and invoicing, with online ordering, supplier deliveries, budget management, stock control, waste management, and menu and allergen management, accessible from any browser with full training and ongoing support.
How can Avendra International help schools reduce time spent on invoice management and admin?
Avendra International consolidates supplier invoicing and validates supplier charges through the Pi eProcurement system, including eBilling and invoice price checking, helping catering and finance teams save time, reduce administration and catch pricing errors before they become a cost issue.
Does Avendra International offer a bespoke procurement solution for schools with complex catering requirements?
Yes. Avendra International builds bespoke procurement solutions with custom supplier agreements and tailored pricing for schools managing multiple kitchens, varied dietary requirements or demanding delivery schedules, alongside full post-contract management and a dedicated account manager.
