The verdict in three sentences
For a central kitchen in Amsterdam delivering 6,500 meals a day to 40 sites, custom software costs EUR 35,000 to 60,000 excluding VAT and is deployed in 16 weeks. It brings together what teams currently manage in five separate files: recipe cards and portion sizes, allergens, site orders, sustainable sourcing targets and delivery notes. The return fits in two numbers: 8 % less food waste and nearly 400 hours of data entry removed per year.
What the software must handle in contract catering
Client contracts from schools, hospitals and corporate canteens increasingly set a minimum share of organic and sustainable products, often 50 %, with reporting at least once a year. The 14 regulated EU allergens must be displayed for every dish. Add to that headcounts that change every morning across sites. The software ties these constraints to production.
| Module | Function | Share of budget | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recipe cards and portion sizes | Recipes, portions by age group, food cost per serving | 25 % | 8,750 to 15,000 |
| Site orders and production plan | Headcounts entered by the 40 sites before 9 am, production quantities calculated | 20 % | 7,000 to 12,000 |
| Purchasing and sourcing targets | Product tagging (organic, label, local), monthly share, client reporting export | 15 % | 5,250 to 9,000 |
| Digital delivery notes | Tablet signature, temperatures on receipt, quantity variances | 15 % | 5,250 to 9,000 |
| Allergens | Matrix of 14 allergens computed from ingredients, sheets for sites | 10 % | 3,500 to 6,000 |
| Waste tracking | Weighing leftovers per site, comparison with portion sizes | 7 % | 2,450 to 4,200 |
| Migration, testing, training | Import of 600 recipe cards, training for chefs and drivers | 8 % | 2,800 to 4,800 |
The low end suits a kitchen that keeps its supplier ordering tool. The high end adds connections to supplier catalogues and temperature probes linked to the software.
Off-the-shelf or custom software: five-year numbers
| Criterion | Excel and paper | Off-the-shelf catering software | Custom software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 setup | EUR 35,000 to 60,000 |
| Annual cost | 400 hours of entry and errors | Subscription of EUR 7,200 to 18,000 | Maintenance of EUR 5,250 to 9,000 |
| Cumulative 5-year cost | Hidden | EUR 40,000 to 98,000 | EUR 61,250 to 105,000 |
| Fit with your 40 sites and routes | Low | Medium | Full |
| Sourcing share calculated from your purchases | Manual, once a year | Often included | Included, monthly |
| Data ownership | Yes | No | Yes |
Custom software costs slightly more over five years. It is justified when the kitchen has its own rules, such as different menus per diner type or mixed routes serving schools and care homes, which off-the-shelf tools force teams to work around.
Measurable gains after six months
| Indicator | Before | After 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste by value | EUR 494,000 per year | EUR 454,500 per year |
| Time spent entering site orders | 3 hours per day | 45 minutes per day |
| Paper delivery notes | 40 per day | 0 |
| Order versus delivery variances | 6 % of lines | 1.5 % of lines |
| Sourcing share calculation | Once a year | Every month |
| Time to prepare annual client reporting | 60 hours | 4 hours |
These figures are 2026 orders of magnitude from kitchens producing 3,000 to 10,000 meals a day. They assume each site enters its headcount before the agreed cut-off time.
Mini case study
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Daan runs a central kitchen in Amsterdam: 6,500 meals a day, 200 production days, a food cost of EUR 1.90 per meal, or EUR 2,470,000 of purchases a year. Waste accounts for about 20 % of that food, EUR 494,000. An 8 % reduction saves EUR 39,520 a year. Removing paper notes and re-keying frees 400 hours a year at a loaded EUR 30 an hour: EUR 12,000. Annual sourcing reporting takes 56 hours less, worth EUR 1,680. The annual gain reaches EUR 53,200. For software quoted at EUR 48,000, payback comes in about 11 months.
FAQ
Does the software produce sourcing reports for clients?
It calculates the share of organic and sustainable products from tagged purchases and produces an export ready for client or tender reporting. Preparation drops from 60 hours to about 4 hours.
How are allergens handled?
Each ingredient carries its allergens from the 14 regulated in the EU. The dish matrix is computed automatically, and a recipe change updates the sheets of all 40 sites in under a minute.
Do drivers need equipment?
Yes, one tablet or smartphone per route at EUR 250 to 400 each. The note is signed on receipt with the measured temperature, which also feeds the HACCP food safety plan.
Can a public body order this software?
Yes, through public procurement. Depending on the amount, a simplified procedure is often enough: we provide a technical proposal and a price breakdown per module to ease evaluation.
Where is the data hosted?
In the Netherlands or elsewhere in the EU, for EUR 150 to 350 a month, with daily backups. Access is role-based: production chef, dietitian, site manager, driver.
Let's scope your project. Send us your meal volume, number of sites served and current tools, and we will price software between EUR 35,000 and 60,000 with a 16-week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
