Sodexo wins Unilever UK contract to deliver state of the art services
28/7/2008
Sodexo, a leading food and facilities management services provider, has secured a three-year multi-million pound deal with Unilever, to provide catering and facilities management services at four sites in the UK, in an agreement which will support the company's planned move to new, state of the art, UK headquarters in Leatherhead.
The new deal, worth more than £12 million in total turnover, adds four sites in the South of England to Sodexo's existing portfolio of seven with Unilever in the North; a move that not only strengthens a working relationship which has already spanned more than fifteen years but significantly extends its geographical scope in the UK.
The agreement, which began at three of the four sites, at Walton-on-Thames, Crawley and Kingston in June and will commence at Purfleet in September, will see Sodexo support the Walton-on-Thames and Crawley sites when they migrate to Unilever's new UK headquarters in Leatherhead later this year.
Providing a range of catering and soft services including hospitality, cleaning, hygiene services, mailroom, portering and reception across the three sites, Sodexo is working with Unilever to develop a tailored support services solution which will continue to meet the needs of its employees at the new UK headquarters.
This will include the implementation of Sodexo's bespoke food service offer, 'Be.'; already in operation in the northern Unilever portfolio, soon to be introduced to the Leatherhead site. This offer allows customers to choose from a selection of restaurants, cafés, convenience stories and coffee bar facilities tailored to their individual requirements. A key priority for Sodexo will be to work closely with Unilever to improve and extend its healthy eating offering throughout these facilities.
Unilever's brand new, 'U' shaped, eco-friendly headquarters will feature a development kitchen for Unilever products, which Sodexo will help to operate, as well as a supermarket, fully serviced staff restaurant and a café deli bar, all managed by Sodexo.
John Brownless, business development director, Sodexo Corporate Services said: “We are delighted that the proven capability of our expertise at Unilever's sites in the North has generated such an important opportunity for us in the South. By selecting Sodexo to provide all catering and soft services at such a unique, landmark building, Unilever has shown it believes absolutely that we are the best in class at delivering support services for a high profile international organisation of its kind.”
Ian Dunning, head of facilities management, Unilever UK, said: Sodexo have demonstrated over the last few years at our sites in the North West a true partnering approach. As a result of this we are delighted to be able to expand this relationship further to the UK Operating Company office locations which will include the full mobilisation and delivery of the support services to our Leatherhead Building. This is a very exciting time for the UK business and I am confident that the support that the Sodexo team can offer our Location Project Team will help us create a truly great place to work which will attract the most talented people in the FMCG sector to want to be part of Unilever.
