Catermasters picks up In House Catering to boost London presence

Midlands-based caterer Catermasters has boosted its presence in London with the purchase of a controlling stake in the In House Catering Company.

In House, founded by Gary Hall and Mark Herman, has 22 executive dining and hospitality contracts in central London, employs 95 staff and has annual turnover of £5.5m.

Both Catermasters and In House Catering will continue to operate independently as part of the deal, while Catermasters co-founder Richard Moody has become joint managing director of In House with Herman. Hall is retained as a consultant as part of the arrangement.

Nigel Johnson, Catermasters co-founder and managing director, said: “We are always looking for opportunities to expand and strengthen our business and the partnership with In House at the beginning of 2009 provides us with a valuable route into another contract catering sector that I know we can win an even more significant share of.”

Herman said Catermasters workplace catering strength would help In House take on more “complex contracts of the highest quality, especially in London”.

Last January, Hall denied industry speculation that In House was for sale after the departure of director Andrew Merret.

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By Chris Druce

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