5 minutes with… Matthew Hitchen, Trevors Foodservice

Having recently unveiled a new £5m state-of-the-art HQ, we caught up with Trevors Foodservice’s purchasing director

Congratulations on opening your new HQ! How will it help you achieve your sustainability goals?

Thank you, everyone is really excited now that it’s open and everything is fully operational. We’ve invested more than £5m in purchasing and renovating it and we have tried to do that in the most sustainable, efficient way.

We’re currently filling the freezer roof with 796 solar panels and we have kitted the warehouse out with all new electrics for the trucks. We’re also in the process of introducing five new delivery vehicles into the fleet to replace older, less efficient models.

Reducing our carbon emissions is incredibly important for the business. Last year saw a reduction of 16% in our carbon emissions, which was a further reduction from the previous year. We’ve also partnered with a climate partner which will simplify our process for tracking, monitoring and reducing our carbon emissions.

What are the dynamics of a family-owned business?

Ultimately, like with any family-run business, there are challenges at times as it can be tricky working so closely with your nearest and dearest! However, the four members of the family who are involved in the business have found strong and reliable ways of working together really well. We’re all very sure of our individual roles and by working well together, the business succeeds.

How have you shaped the direction of the business?

The family have been very involved from day dot and in all aspects of decision making. We’ve worked hard to develop a great culture and as a result we have a long-serving team with great staff retention. I’ve been with the business for 10 years now and since being in a position of authority, I’ve introduced some key recruits, such as a marketing and ecommerce manager, which have driven a lot of growth into the business.

We have also moved ERP systems to one that is far more flexible and suited to our business which includes an integrated online ordering platform that has helped to bring us into the 21st century.

How has your company navigated the past few years and the challenges of Covid and Brexit?

The last few years have certainly been fast paced and challenging at times but very rewarding. The company was performing well prior to the pandemic, but like many companies it took a hit in turnover once Covid struck. However, post-pandemic, the growth accelerated as we doubled our turnover and have grown year on year since.

This growth has come from securing new business wins and exploring opportunities with our existing client base. This has given us the opportunity to grow our range, team and resources, providing jobs for the local area.

What are your future plans for the business?

We would like to expand the sectors that we work with. We’re currently heavily weighted in education and care but we would like to grow deeper roots within hospitality. We are also in the process of enhancing our butchery offering with next-day delivery. Having spotted a gap in our services, we also want to develop an alcohol range. Ultimately, we want to become a one-stop shop for any caterer.

What is your number one secret to success?

Go the extra mile. When it comes to prospective clients, it’s really important to put in extra effort to get to know their business in order to understand how you can genuinely help. This approach has proved to always be worth the extra resource and time.

Brexit Covid Matthew Hitchen sustainability Trevors Foodservice