At Litmus, our mission is simple but powerful:
We help organisations transform food service and related purchasing through trusted insight, deep sector expertise, and the industry’s most comprehensive benchmarking data – delivering measurable impact and lasting, sustainable value.
But what does this really mean in practice? Here, we delve into each element of our mission and explore how it translates into tangible results for our clients.
Trusted insight
Trust and integrity is at the heart of everything we do. Our clients rely on us for honest, evidence-based guidance; not quick fixes or one-size-fits-all advice. Every recommendation we make is underpinned by data, experience, and a commitment to transparency.
From reviewing catering contracts to running tenders, we bring clarity to complex challenges. Our insight helps organisations make informed decisions with confidence – whether that’s identifying cost inefficiencies, improving service quality, or aligning operations with broader organisational goals.
Deep sector expertise
Our team has decades of hands-on experience across a range of sectors including education, higher education, business & industry, and healthcare. We understand the nuances of each environment – the budget pressures, compliance requirements, operational challenges, and people factors that make each sector unique.
This depth of knowledge allows us to see both the bigger picture and the finer details. We understand the challenges schools face in feeding pupils nutritious meals on tight budgets; we know how universities can balance sustainability with value for money; we recognise the importance of patient wellbeing in healthcare catering. And because we’ve worked across every part of these sectors, we can anticipate issues before they arise and identify solutions that are both practical and sustainable.
The industry’s most comprehensive benchmarking data
Catering is one of the largest outsourced services for many organisations, yet many organisations don’t regularly benchmark their costs. Without benchmarking, how can you know if you’re truly getting value for money?
Our benchmarking tools allow organisations to compare their catering, cleaning, and facilities costs against national standards, regional peers, and their own historical data. This unique level of insight helps highlight hidden inefficiencies that others miss, pinpoint where value could be improved, and provide robust evidence for decision-making.
Benchmarking doesn’t just identify where money can be saved – it supports better outcomes. It can strengthen funding applications, justify strategic decisions to stakeholders, and guide longer-term planning. With accurate, up-to-date data at your fingertips, you can make confident, defensible choices that stand up to scrutiny.
Delivering measurable impact and lasting, sustainable value
Ultimately, everything we do is about creating real, measurable change for our clients. We help organisations operate more efficiently, improve service quality, and deliver better outcomes – not just today, but for the long term.
In education, this means freeing up time and resources so that school leaders can focus on what truly matters: delivering outstanding teaching and learning. In healthcare, it means helping caterers deliver nutritious meals that aid recovery while managing tight budgets responsibly. In hospital and university retail catering, it means helping operators design and manage outlets that provide convenient, great-tasting, and good-value food options – enhancing the experience for customers, while ensuring operations remain efficient and commercially sustainable.
By combining trusted insight, deep expertise, and powerful benchmarking data, we enable organisations to make decisions that are both commercially sound and socially responsible.
The Litmus team
