Catering pioneer makes strategic acquisitions

Andre du Chenne- CEO of Compass Group SA

The new acquisitions, Gham Gourmet - a highly successful fine dining company - and Town and Country Cuisine, a prominent Johannesburg up-market function-and-event catering company, strongly complement the broader growth strategy of the group to focus on organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

“With over 8 500 employees operating in over 700 sites across the country, the Compass Group SA business has largely been built on organic growth. We are now in a position where our balance sheet strength is such that we can aggressively identify strategic acquisitions that can easily be integrated into our business and blend in well with our culture,” says André Du Chenne, CEO.

Innovation has always been a key driver for the group, the first black-empowered contract catering business in South Africa and the first business to introduce branded outlets and sustain brand penetration in the local workplace in a captive environment. The focus on transformation has been ongoing with the company currently holding an AA EmpowerDex rating and being recognised as a level three BBBEE Contributor. It also claims to be the only company in the outsourced industry to have a completely unencumbered black shareholding with 55,55% effective BEE control at board level.

The company comprises two key operating divisions – Food Services, which incorporates the catering arm Kagiso Khulani Supervision Food Services (KKS) and All Leisure Travel Restaurant Services – and an Integrated Facilities Management division, which incorporates ESS Remote and Integrated Facilities Management South Africa.

The latest acquisitions are significant because they allow the company greater penetration into lucrative niche markets and a meaningful transfer of skills within the current structure.

Gham Gourmet, headed up by Heinz Brunner - one of South Africa's leading chefs and culinary professionals – has a strong focus on fine dining.

“With Gham Gourmet's niche in fine dining, coupled with a superior chef complement, this level of expertise will greatly compliment our existing offering and allow us to expand our offering amongst many of our key clients,” says Du Chenne.

Town and Country Cuisine is a well-established function and event-catering business operating from a modern ‘cook chill' production facility situated in northern Johannesburg and in relatively close proximity to the business districts of Johannesburg, Sandton, Midrand and Pretoria.

“The big opportunity here is to consolidate the production facilities of Town and Country Cuisine with that of House of Bonne Cuisine, Compass Group SA's existing Events & Leisure function catering business, under the leadership of Roland Smidt,” concludes du Chenne.