Café Services Out Flexes Connecticut Corporate Dining Companies To Bring Value Without Overhead To Company in Transition

Shared Corporate Food Service Model is Win-Win for Alexion and Macys

Talk to several different Café Services associates, and chances are, they’ll all tell you that unlike many Connecticut corporate dining companies, Café Services is not a “cookie-cutter” company. To understand why, just look at the experience of Alexion, a global bio-pharmaceutical company headquartered in Cheshire, Connecticut.

In less than two years, the company went from having no corporate food service program to three at three different sites, all managed by Café Services. What enabled Alexion to ramp up so fast? Café Services district manager, Mike Poppers, attributes it to flexibility.

Thinking Out-Of-The-Box

When Alexion began talking to Café Services, the firm was potentially moving to a different building and needed a temporary food service solution that didn’t require a full-service kitchen. A regional firm, Café Services was able to give Alexion the flexibility to offer high quality corporate dining to employees without adding overhead.

“We had more agility than other Connecticut corporate dining companies to adjust our service model for Alexion,” says Mike. “At Café Services, we’re always willing to ‘think out of the box’ to deliver premium food service that provides value in new and creative ways.”

Creative, Food Service Delivery Model Offers Economies Of Scale

To help Alexion benefit from the convenience and productivity gains that come with onsite corporate dining, Mike Poppers engaged nearby Café Services customer, Macys, in a satellite arrangement with Alexion. Café Services had been managing a full-service kitchen and dining operation at Macy’s since fall 2010. By using the Café Services kitchen at Macy’s to prepare meals for employees at both Macys and Alexion, the neighboring companies would gain valuable economies of scale, and save significantly by sharing food and professional resource costs.

Sharing Resources Is Win-Win

Café Services hired more associates at Macy’s to serve Alexion, home base to about 300 employees, many of them sales professionals who spent a lot of time on the road. One associate staffed Alexion from 7:30am until 2:30pm and managed two additional associates at lunch to handle support and food prep.

Food and equipment was transported via van from Macys, about a quarter mile from Alexion. The morning menu offered pastries and breakfast sandwiches, while lunch featured a full salad bar, deli entree and soup.

All food was prepared fresh in the Macys kitchen and delivered within minutes to Alexion. The solution was a win-win for both companies. Alexion was able to create a more satisfying, efficient work environment for employees by offering fresh, tasteful meals onsite without adding overhead. Macys improved savings by sharing costs and reducing food waste.

Success Story

The shared food service approach was so successful for Alexion and Macys that Alexion went on to engage Café Services in the launch of two more corporate food services operations. One is a satellite facility in a nearby building managed by Café Services associates at Macys, much like the original program. Alexion has also opened a full-service Café Services corporate dining facility—kitchen and all—at a manufacturing site in Rhode Island.

I’ve been born and bred corporate dining and corporate catering from the very beginning of my career in the Silicon Valley and now, since 2001 in the Boston Metro Area. While working my way up through the ranks, all the experience has led up to my current position as the Corporate Executive Chef for Café Services, based out of Manchester, NH. I have the privilege to be able to utilize creativity, research and technology to dream up our company’s new culinary programs and custom menus for corporate cafeteria clients and bring them to life. Café Services supplies the resources to ensure success of our ever-evolving companywide culinary initiatives and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. Seeing the success of new programs in the field is my motivation. It’s a win win.