Cater for Climate is straightforward to commission and designed to minimise the work required from your team. We use the information you already hold and return detailed, accurate and actionable results.

Our process

1: Scoping session

You tell us about your catering service and what you want to achieve. We agree what will be analysed and what decisions the outputs need to support.

2: Information exchange

You provide us with the menu, recipe and/or procurement data for the agreed time period, plus a few other details. We can handle data in any format (word, excel, csv, pdf, etc) and for any level of anonymity (e.g. with or without your supplier, product or recipe codes).

3: Processing the data

We then sort, format and carbon-code the data. In our classic approach, we do these steps manually. It works very well with small datasets, e.g. a couple of menus or handful of dishes to be analysed.

Have you large datasets or multiple files of different types and formats?

No problem, as of 2026, we can automatically sort and carbon-code data using FoodClimateKey. This is a secure AI reader tailored to public catering, which we helped to develop. It recognises thousands of pre-coded food and drink products in our database, so is fast and accurate. The processed data are always checked with human eyes, to correct any errors.

4: Baseline calculation

We calculate the carbon emissions of the service in scope and break the results down into clear components. They show which food categories and operational factors contribute most to the total.

5: Identifying hotspots

We highlight the highest-impact drivers of emissions in your context. In school meals and similar settings, key drivers often include the amount and type of meat on menus and how food waste is managed.

6: Scenario modelling

We model realistic changes and compare scenarios side by side. This helps you understand the likely impact of menu adjustments, procurement choices, and waste reduction measures before you commit.

7: Outputs you can use

You receive a short report with the baseline results and scenario comparisons, with implications for net zero targets. You also receive prioritised recommendations that are practical to implement and suitable for internal reporting.

Timescales

Timescales depend on the project scope and approach to data processing. Once we have reviewed these with you, we will confirm a delivery schedule.

Costs

Costs depend on the size of the service, the type of data and the level of scenario testing required. We will provide a quote after a short review of your requirements.

What you’ll receive

You will receive a clear baseline, an explanation of what is driving emissions, and options for reducing them. Outputs can include a carbon footprint summary for a service, menu or recipe set, hotspot analysis, scenario comparisons and practical recommendations. Materials can also be provided in formats suitable for sustainability reporting and stakeholder engagement.

It was very interesting to see the impact on emissions from adding organic dried green split peas to school meals, especially comparing them to previous comparable dishes and different menu items such as mince with peas and chocpea muffins. The analysis and report provided by Angela was very clear and made robust, academic findings easy to understand. The work has been very helpful for our project evaluation and the local authority catering team, and wider discussions about the benefits of using split peas in recipes.
Callum Wilkinson, Data and Evaluation Manager, Soil Association Scotland