The collective catering market - Italy (2025)

1.2 The global and European market

The value of the global foodservice market shows a steady growth from **** to ****, increasing from $***.* billion to $***.* billion with a CAGR of *.*%. The overall increase during the period analyzed is about **%, showing a positive and continuous trend in the industry.

Catering market World, ****-****, billion dollars Imarcgroup In order to delve deeper into the global contract catering market, the market related to school food service, framed as one of the most important subcategories of contract catering, is analyzed. The value of school food service contracts grows steadily from **** to ****, from $**.** billion to $**.** billion, an overall increase of ** percent. This positive trend indicates an expansion of the sector, in line with the general growth of contract catering. School cafeteria market World, ****-****, billion dollars Enterpriseappstoday European market:

The European school cafeteria market follows a steady growth trend, increasing from $**.** billion in **** to $**.** billion in ****,with a CAGR of *.**% increasing by **% over the period used. This development, while smaller than the global market, confirms a continued expansion of the sector at the regional level as well.

European foodservice market Europe, ****-****, € million European growth is driven by a number of key factors: Collaboration between caterers and event and exhibition providers has increased demand ...

1.3 The Italian market

The Italian foodservice market shows steady growth from **** to ****, increasing from *.** to *.** billion euros, with an overall increase of ** percent and a compound annual growth rate (***) of *.** percent. This trend mirrors the trend observed at the European level, indicating a gradual but solid expansion of the sector in Italy as well. Italian foodservice market value Italy, ****-****, in billion € Company Register, IbisWorld, Businesscoot elaboration

Canteens and catering turnover in Italy grew through ****, reaching €*.** billion, before experiencing a sharp decline in **** (***) due to the pandemic. The subsequent recovery did not bring the sector back to pre-crisis levels, with values fluctuating between *.** billion and *.** billion between **** and ****. The trend shows a difficulty in fully recovering previous turnover, despite signs of stabilization in recent years.

Trend in turnover of canteens and continuous catering on a contract basis Italy, ****-****, millions of euros Source: ****

Sales revenues in the contract catering sector in Italy show a drastic decline in ****, with the school segment falling from **** to *** million euros (***). The subsequent recovery is evident, but uneven: while social and health facilities quickly return to pre-pandemic levels, schools and corporations show a slower recovery. In ****, the corporate segment overtakes the school segment, marking a shift in revenue distribution ...

2.1 Demand in Italy

Average household spending on canteens in Italy shows a significant change between **** and ****, highlighting the impact of the pandemic and only a partial recovery. In the two pre-Covid years, spending was relatively stable, rising from *.** euros in **** to *.** in ****. By **** there is a ** percent drop, falling to *.** euros, followed by a further decline in **** to *.** euros, the lowest value in the period analyzed. This contraction is likely related to school closures and reduced use of company canteens. In **** there is a sharp recovery (***) with spending rising to *.** euros, signaling a gradual return to normalcy. However, a slight decline to *.** euros is observed in ****, which could indicate a new market equilibrium or greater attention by households to the costs associated with collective catering. Despite the recovery, the value remains below ****-**** levels, suggesting that consumption habits have changed compared to the pre-pandemic period. Average household expenditure item for canteens Italy, ****-****, in current &euro Istat By analyzing the turnover of the canteen sector, it is then possible to delineate which sectors experience the greatest concentration of demand. School and university canteens contribute about */* of the total turnover (***) and businesses at **.* percent. Finally, mass catering for other communities occupies a demand segment of ...

2.2 Different factors influence demand

The aging population

In ****, **.* percent of Italian families say they are willing to consider a care facility as a solution for their loved ones who are no longer self-sufficient. The progressive aging of the Italian population is therefore one of the main factors that may drive the demand for collective catering, a solution widely used within residential care facilities. Between **** and ****, the over-** population in Italy is expected to grow by **.* percent.

Evolution of the elderly population Italy, ****-****, thousands of people Source: ****

The growth of the elderly population and forecasts showing a positive trend in this regard are reflected in a growth of facilities dedicated to nursing and residential care for the elderly.

Nursing care facilities for the elderly grew from *** in **** to **** in ****, an increase of ***.* percent. However, from **** to ****, the number decreased by **.*% to ****.

Residential care facilities for the elderly and disabled increased from **** in **** to **** in ****, followed by a decrease to **** in ****. Thereafter, the number grew to **** in ****, marking an increase of **.* percent over **** and *.* percent over ****.

Evolution of the presence of care facilities Italies, ****-****, number of active enterprises Source: ****

Education as a reserve for growth

Another key determinant of demand for institutional care facilities is ...

2.3 New demand trends

Demand trends in foodservice are constantly evolving, as is the commercial foodservice sector. In particular, some of the main trends are:

The growing preference for sustainable products: consumers are increasingly inclined to consume products with an environmentally and ethically sustainable supply chain. Mass catering is called upon to adapt its skills and professionalism to the new healthier and more sustainable food models, contributing to their spread Seasonality: it is possible to notice an increased interest in the seasonality of products by avoiding imported or out-of-season products. Healthy diet: there is a growing demand for healthy menus, especially in schools, where parents expect for their daughters and sons a healthy diet that meets their nutritional needs. Ethnic food: especially in corporate cafeterias, there is a growing demand for ethnic food. Different reasons include the desire to vary the diet and the desire to vary the menu, which is considered excessively static from a culinary point of view

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2.4 Geographical distribution of demand

In order to visualize the geographic distribution of demand, a map was created with the monthly household expenditure on communal food services.

The distribution of spending across the territory is extremely uneven. The Northwest presents the highest monthly expenditure, with *.** euros spent on average by households. It is followed by the Northeast with *.** euros spent monthly on average. In the Center, average monthly spending stands at *.** euros on average, while going down to the South the territorial difference becomes evident. In the Islands and the South, average monthly household spending is *.** euros and * euro, respectively.

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2.5 Trends in online searches for catering and canteens

Searches for canteens in Italy between **** and **** show a cyclical pattern with peaks in September and declines in the summer months and at the end of the year. The highest value is in September **** (***), marking a decrease of ** percent. The trend suggests a link to the resumption of school and work activities, with declines during vacation periods. Trend in canteen searches Italy, ****-****, index Google Trends, Businesscoot elaboration Catering searches in Italy in ****-**** show a smaller variation than canteens, with moderate fluctuations and peaks in June **** (***), while December **** closes with **, marking a ** percent increase. The trend suggests relative stability with increases in the spring and summer months, probably related to events and ceremonies. Catering search trends Italy, ****-****, index

Values are calculated on a scale of * to ***, where *** indicates the location with the highest frequency of searches as a proportion of total searches in that location, and a value of ** indicates a location with half as many searches. The value *, on the other hand, indicates a locality for which insufficient data have been collected.

Regarding catering:

3.1 The market structure

In order to analyze the contract catering market, enterprises under Ateco code **.** "Canteens and continuous catering on a contract basis" are considered. In particular, the number of active enterprises, the number of employees and the legal form of enterprises are analyzed.

Number of enterprises

The number of catering and canteen enterprises in Italy has shown a steady decrease from **** to ****. In **** there were ****, while in **** it dropped to ****, registering a **% reduction. It was particularly marked between **** and ****, with a decline of **, reflecting the impact of the COVID-** pandemic. In subsequent years, the decline continued but at a slower pace.

Number of catering and canteen enterprises Italy, ****-****, in number Istat

Employees

In ****, there were ***.* thousand employees, slightly increased to ***.* thousand in ****, and then remained almost stable until **** with ***.*. In ****, the number dropped to ***.* thousand. In ****, the number of employees rose again to ***.* thousand, but in **** it dropped again to ***.*, marking an overall reduction of *.* percent compared to ****.

Canteens and continuous catering employees Italy, ****-****, in thousands Istat

Legal form

Lastly, in ****, the majority of canteen and continuous catering businesses in Italy were limited liability companies, accounting for **.** percent of the total. Sole proprietors, freelancers and the self-employed made up **.** percent, while ...

3.2 The value chain

3.3 Food service workers

In ****, **,*** entries are expected in the fast food and restaurant sector, of which as many as **,*** will involve employee hires, highlighting a dynamic labor market with a strong demand for staff. The youth component accounts for ** percent of new hires, confirming the sector as an important entry point to the world of work for young people, who are often employed in operational and temporary roles.

In the fast food and restaurant sector, most hires are on fixed-term contracts, accounting for ** percent of the total. Only ** percent of new hires involve permanent contracts, while ** percent involve apprentices and the remaining * percent fall under other types of contracts. This figure confirms the high incidence of seasonality and contractual flexibility in the sector, with a prevalence of temporary employment over stable positions.

Contractual forms of hiring Italy, ****, % Unioncamere

In recent years, the restaurant sector has experienced several difficulties in finding new preparation, cooking and distribution workers, reaching ** percent of expected hires. The main cause is the lack of candidates, accounting for **.* percent, followed by inadequate preparation in **.* percent of cases and other factors weighing in at **.* percent. This scenario shows a mismatch between labor supply and demand, with a shortage of available and, in ...

3.4 The main actors

Foreign

Sodexo: Founded in **** in Marseille, Sodexo is the world's number one food service and business services company. The company is present in ** countries around the world and serves more than *** million customers every day. In the catering business, it is active in the corporate, public administration and education sectors. The catering business focuses on using sustainable products, limiting food waste and supporting local production.

Elior: founded in ****, is now a world leader in the foodservice industry with more than * million meals delivered every day. The company offers a range of customized solutions and innovative catering concepts in the education, healthcare and corporate sectors. A focus on sustainability and healthy food needs is at the heart of the company's daily operations.

Compass Group: for more than ** years, the company has been committed to providing meals for schools, offices and care facilities. The products used respect seasonality and the kilometer-zero philosophy, coming mostly from local producers. The offering tries to be as varied as possible so that it can accommodate the demands and tastes of all customers. Compass was among the first companies to offer the possibility of ordering in advance their own meal tailored to the tastes and needs of the ...

4.1 Supply analysis

The price index for consumer canteens in Italy shows a steady increase from **** to ****, rising *.* percent from ***.* to ***.*. The increase is gradual until ****, while from **** it accelerates slightly, probably due to economic and inflationary factors. The trend suggests a continued increase in canteen service costs, with the trend showing no signs of reversal.

Consumer canteen price index for the entire community (***) - annual averages Italy, ****-****, index Istat

The price index for company canteens and that for school and other educational institutions canteens both show growth in ****, but with different dynamics. Company canteens start at *** in mid-**** and reach *** at the end of ****, an increase of *.* percent. The increase is steady, but more pronounced starting in April ****. School cafeterias, on the other hand, grow from *** in December **** to ***.* at the end of ****, an increase of *.* percent. Here the growth is more gradual and with fewer abrupt changes. Overall, corporate canteens show a slightly faster increase than school canteens, perhaps signaling a greater impact of economic and inflationary factors in the private sector than in the public or regulated sector. Consumer price index for company canteens base ****=*** Italy, ****-****, index Istat

Consumer price index for the entire community - monthly data

Community ...

4.2 The prices

Regarding prices, rates related to corporate catering are highly variable since it is the company itself that enters into the contract with the caterer and decides how much of the price to charge. For nursing facilities, prices are often included within the monthly or daily fee. In contrast, for school catering, data are available on the cost incurred by the end consumer (***) for the individual meal, monthly fee, and annual fee. Average prices at preschool and elementary school cafeterias are shown below.

Preschools

Primary schools

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4.3 New supply trends

The catering industry's offerings are constantly evolving not only in order to attract new customers but to ensure better service and meal quality. The following are the main trends in the offerings:

Entico street food: some companies active in the sector have launched several ethnic cuisine projects in response to the demand for more appetizing and varied food.(***) Sustainable offerings: in recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on healthy and sustainable foods. This has included the inclusion of organic and local products on menus nonochè an increasing focus on reducing food waste.(***) Personalization: through apps for smartphones and tablets is made diponibile the possibility for all users to inquire about the day's proposals, choose their favorite dish and pay for it without moving from the desk. In addition, it is possible to leave comments and suggestions expressing one's opinion.(***) Expansion of offerings: also by virtue of state directives, mass catering is expanding the variety of its menus both on a daily level and in weekly programming.(***)

5.1 The legislation

The sector is subject to various regulations both at the national and European level. There are regulations applicable to food hygiene and safety . The European Union has adopted several pieces of legislation aimed at establishing a single and transparent food hygiene policy :

regulation ***/**** establishes the basic principles (***) and defines specific obligations for professionals regulation ***/**** concerns a preventive approach to food safety risks at the various stages of product manufacture. regulation ***/**** sets strict standards for food of animal origin. regulation ****/**** concerns microbiological criteria for food products.

In Italy, food safety is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Italian food safety regulations transpose the standards set by the corresponding European regulations. There are also applicable standards on food labeling. European Regulation No. ****/**** distinguishes between mandatory information for prepackaged food products and mandatory information for non-prepackaged food products. Law ***/****, also known as the Gadda law, deals with food waste. It aims to reduce waste at every stage of production, processing, distribution, and serving of food, pharmaceutical, and other products by promoting recycling and donation.

5.2 Conclusion

The foodservice market, both globally and in Europe, continues to experience steady growth, with a positive outlook to ****. Internationally, the industry's expansion is driven by demographic and social factors, such as an aging population and the growing need for catering services in businesses, schools and healthcare facilities. In Europe, the market is growing at a rate of *.** percent annually, driven by theintegration of digital solutions, afocus on sustainability and the personalization of offerings. Italy is following a similar trend, although post-pandemic recovery has been slower than in other European countries and pre-COVID levels have not yet been fully recovered.

Italy plays a key role in the sector, with a market value set to exceed €* billion by ****. However, the number of active companies is declining, signaling a consolidation process that favors the growth of large groups at the expense of smaller entities. The Italian market is characterized by the presence of national and international giants, including Sodexo, Elior and Compass Group, while at the national level Pellegrini, Camst and CirFood emerge. The strategies of these operators focus on sustainability, digitization and diversification of supply to meet new consumer needs.

The evolution of demand is influenced by several factors:

Aging population, which increases ...

6.1 Positioning of actors

• Elior Ristorazione S.p.a
• CIRFood (Cooperativa Italiana di Ristorazione)
• CAMST (Cooperativa Albergo Mensa Spettacolo e Turismo)
• Compass Group Italia
• Sodexo France
• Ladisa
• Serenissima Ristorazione
• Gruppo Pellegrini
• Vivenda s.p.a