DHL wins £30m Food Services contract with Virgin Trains

In its first venture into the rail catering market, DHL Supply Chain has recently secured a three year long contract to manage the catering operation of UK long distance rail operator Virgin Trains.

DHL will oversee all of Virgin’s on board catering along the West Coast mainline, the strategically important UK rail route covering the 400 mile route from Glasgow Central to London Euston.

The West Coast Mainline is Britain’s most important rail backbone, with Virgin Trains alone serving over 30 million passengers along the line each year. DHL will take charge of all aspects of catering associated with the route, including the service delivered at the stations as well as on board.

Paul Richardson, Managing Director of Specialist Services at DHL Supply Chain said he was “delighted” at DHL being awarded the contract. He commented: "By applying our first-hand knowledge of the airline, public sector and retail industries, we aim to redefine the customer experience, from top quality dining to applying the latest market trends in the food-to-go arena. A great deal of creative energy has gone into working with producers and manufacturers to produce something very different - I think customers will be genuinely surprised and delighted."

DHL’s first innovation will be the planning of two new menus, in partnership with Virgin, in celebration of two upcoming major global event: The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the World Cup in Rio.