Wholesale Food Suppliers for Secondary Schools & Colleges Across Devon & Cornwall

For over 20 years, Xlent Foods has been supporting secondary schools, sixth forms, and colleges across Devon and Cornwall with reliable wholesale food supply for their meal programmes. We understand the unique challenges of institutional catering—tight budgets, nutritional requirements, term-time scheduling, and the need for consistent quality that young people deserve.

Whether you're managing a secondary school catering operation feeding hundreds daily or a college refectory serving students throughout the day, we provide the products, pricing, and service that help your meal programme succeed. Our experience with educational institutions means we understand procurement processes, budget cycles, and the importance of reliable delivery during term time.

Why Secondary Schools & Colleges Choose Xlent Foods

We've built our reputation supporting secondary schools, sixth forms, and colleges across Devon and Cornwall. We understand that educational catering is different—and we're set up to meet those specific needs.

Budget-Focused Pricing

We understand school budgets. Transparent, competitive wholesale pricing with no hidden costs. Personalised pricing based on your actual usage patterns helps you maximise your catering budget.

Nutritional Standards Support

Products that help you meet School Food Standards and nutritional requirements. We can guide you towards options that support healthy, balanced meal programmes for young people.

Term-Time Reliability

Consistent next-day delivery throughout term time when you need it most. We understand the pressures of school meal service—you can depend on us to deliver on time, every time.

Flexible Payment Terms

Payment terms and invoicing arrangements that work with school finance systems and budget cycles. We understand educational institution procurement processes.

Portion Control Options

Products available in portion-controlled formats to help manage costs, reduce waste, and maintain consistent serving sizes—critical for school meal programme efficiency.

Dedicated Account Support

Your dedicated contact understands school catering challenges. Quick responses during busy service times, helping source specific products, and supporting your team when you need it.

Serving Secondary Schools & Colleges Across Devon & East Cornwall

Reliable delivery to secondary schools, sixth forms, and colleges throughout Devon and East Cornwall. We understand the importance of consistent service during term time.

Devon Schools & Colleges

  • Plymouth secondary schools
  • Exeter secondary schools
  • Torquay & Torbay schools
  • South Hams schools
  • East Devon schools
  • North Devon schools
  • Mid Devon schools

Cornwall Schools & Colleges

  • East Cornwall schools
  • Bodmin area schools
  • Saltash & Torpoint schools
  • Launceston area schools

For schools in other Cornwall areas, please contact us to discuss delivery options.

Institution Types

  • Secondary schools (11-16)
  • Secondary schools (11-18)
  • Academies
  • Independent schools
  • Sixth form colleges
  • Further education colleges
  • Special schools (secondary age)

Secondary School & College Catering Product Range

Comprehensive range of products to support nutritious, appealing school and college meals—from breakfast service to main lunch, from grab-and-go options to traditional hot meals and refectory dining.

Frozen Foods

Extensive frozen range including quality meats, fish, vegetables, potato products, and desserts. Many items available in portion-controlled formats perfect for school meal service.

Explore Frozen Range →

Chilled Products

Fresh chilled items including dairy products, sandwich fillings, fresh vegetables, and ingredients for salad bars. Supporting breakfast service and grab-and-go options for busy students.

View Chilled Range →

Ambient Goods

Store cupboard essentials including pasta, rice, tinned goods, baking ingredients, and condiments. Long shelf-life products that help you manage inventory efficiently.

Browse Ambient Products →

Supporting Your School & College Catering Programme

We understand the specific challenges secondary school and college catering teams face. Here's how we help:

Meeting Nutritional Standards

Products and guidance to help meet School Food Standards, including reduced salt options, wholegrain choices, and products supporting balanced, nutritious meals.

Allergen Management

Clear product information and allergen data to help you manage allergen requirements safely and meet your duty of care obligations.

Waste Reduction

Portion-controlled options and flexible ordering help reduce waste—important for both budget management and environmental responsibility.

Popular with Students

Products that secondary students and college learners actually want to eat. Uptake is crucial for meal programme success—we can help with appealing options that meet nutritional standards.

Seasonal Menu Planning

Support with products for seasonal menus and special occasions—from Christmas dinners to summer term salad options.

Budget Predictability

Stable, transparent pricing helps you plan budgets confidently. No surprise price increases mid-term—we work with you for sustainable, long-term supply relationships.

Secondary Schools & Colleges We Support

Real examples (anonymised) of secondary schools and colleges across Devon & Cornwall benefiting from specialist school food suppliers:

900-Student Secondary School (Plymouth)

Challenge: Daily service for 900+ students with tight £2.40/meal budget. Previous supplier's pricing made hitting nutritional standards whilst staying in budget difficult. Needed allergen documentation for every line.

Solution: Tailored pricing on high-volume school lines (frozen veg, protein, potato products, bakery). Weekly deliveries with full allergen documentation. Reduced cost-per-meal by ~£0.22 while improving variety. Saved school ~£320/week.

Sixth Form College (Exeter Area)

Challenge: 16-18 year old learners demanding café-style offer (panini, wraps, coffee, grab-and-go). Term-time only service. Previous supplier required year-round minimum orders including holidays.

Solution: Term-time-only supply agreement (38 weeks). Flexible minimums during holiday periods for exam weeks. Added premium coffee supplies and café-style chilled products. Improved student uptake by 15% vs previous menu.

Academy Trust (Multi-Site Devon)

Challenge: 3 secondary schools across Devon under one trust. Each site previously using different suppliers—inconsistent pricing, complex procurement admin, no economies of scale.

Solution: Unified pricing across all 3 sites with single monthly invoice. Consolidated delivery to each school weekly. Centralized ordering with individual site flexibility. Reduced combined catering costs ~9% through scale and simplified administration.

Independent School (Bodmin Area)

Challenge: Boarding school requiring 7-day service including weekend meals. Higher expectations for food quality vs state sector. Needed reliable East Cornwall delivery.

Solution: Premium product lines (quality meats, speciality ingredients) at boarding-school pricing tier. Weekly deliveries to East Cornwall location. Flexible ordering for weekend numbers and half-term weeks. Chef satisfaction improved significantly with product quality.

For wider Devon & Cornwall coverage, see our regional wholesaler page. Looking for event catering supply? We support caterers too.

How to Get Started

We've made it simple for schools to start working with us. Our process respects school procurement requirements while keeping everything straightforward.

  • Initial Discussion Contact us to discuss your school or college catering requirements—numbers served, current suppliers, specific needs. We can work with your existing invoices to understand usage patterns.
  • Tailored Quotation We'll provide a detailed quotation based on your actual needs. Transparent pricing showing how our wholesale costs compare to your current supply arrangements.
  • Procurement Process We understand school procurement requirements. We can work with your established processes, whether that's quotes, tenders, or framework agreements.
  • Setup & Onboarding Once appointed, we'll set up your account with your personalised product list and pricing. Training for your team on ordering processes and account management.
  • Ongoing Service Regular term-time delivery, dedicated account management, and ongoing support. We're here when you need us—not just at the start of the relationship.

School or College Catering Manager?

Send us your current supplier invoices and we'll show you how our school-focused wholesale pricing compares. See exactly where you can save on your catering budget.

Request a School Quote →

Support Your School or College Catering Programme with Xlent Foods

Join secondary schools, sixth forms, academies, and colleges across Devon and Cornwall who trust Xlent Foods for reliable wholesale food supply. We understand school budgets, nutritional standards, and the pressures of term-time service—and we're here to support your catering team with quality products, competitive pricing, and service you can depend on.

Get in touch today to discuss your institution's requirements and discover how wholesale food suppliers with 20+ years of school experience can support your catering programme.

Request a School Quote →