The verdict in three sentences
A contract caterer producing 3,000 to 10,000 meals a day wins or loses its margin on one indicator: food cost, to be held between 28 and 35 % of the meal price. A custom tool linking recipe cards, site orders, purchasing and HACCP traceability costs 4 to 7 M FCFA at Kolonell, i.e. 6,100 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT, versus 20,000 to 60,000 EUR for a packaged European suite. For a multi-client central kitchen, a custom build delivered in 12 to 16 weeks offers the best balance between functional coverage and budget.
Where a central kitchen loses its margin
A caterer serving companies, schools and clinics juggles three logics. Companies order the day before with headcounts that vary with remote work. Schools follow a term calendar and menus approved by the institution. Clinics impose diets (low salt, diabetic, pureed) with a high health risk. On Excel and messaging apps, the gap between meals ordered, produced and invoiced easily reaches 3 to 5 %.
The 2026 order of magnitude speaks for itself. At 6,000 meals a day and an average price of 5.50 EUR, daily revenue reaches 33,000 EUR. A single point of food cost is 330 EUR a day, around 7,260 EUR a month over 22 working days. Compliance matters too: food safety inspectors expect batch, temperature and retained-sample traceability that paper records make fragile during an audit.
Essential modules and their impact
| Module | What it does | Expected impact (order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Menus and recipe cards | Portions per diner, cost recalculated at every supplier price change | Food cost held in the 28 to 35 % range |
| Orders per site | Client portal, headcount D-1 before 2 pm, special diets | Ordered vs produced gap below 1 % |
| Production and needs | Production sheets, consolidated purchase list per supplier | 1 to 2 hours saved a day for the production manager |
| HACCP traceability | Receiving, temperatures, chilling, retained samples, batch numbers | Inspection file ready in minutes |
| Delivery | Routes, delivery notes signed on mobile | Fewer quantity disputes |
| Invoicing | Monthly invoices per site based on meals actually served | Invoicing closed in 1 day instead of 4 |
| Dashboard | Food cost, margin per client, waste | Weekly decision on loss-making contracts |
Kolonell custom build or European suite: 2026 comparison
| Criterion | Packaged European suite | Kolonell custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Setup price | 20,000 to 60,000 EUR | 4 to 7 M FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT) |
| Annual licences | Often 3,000 to 12,000 EUR a year | No licence |
| Maintenance | Included in licence | 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA a month (50 to 180 EUR) |
| Languages | Fixed set | Any languages you need, RTL possible |
| Regulation | Generic HACCP | HACCP and your local inspection rules built in |
| Invoicing and VAT | Vendor model | Your VAT rules and your clients' formats |
| Timeline | 4 to 9 months of configuration | 12 to 16 weeks |
The Kolonell price follows our custom application grid of 11/10/2026 (4 to 7 M FCFA tier, medium-complexity applications). It is not a market average.
Mini case study
Anna, managing director of a contract caterer in Berlin, serves 6,000 meals a day to 14 companies, 6 schools and 2 clinics, with an observed food cost of 37 %. Goal: return to 34 % through recipe cards and D-1 orders.
Calculation: 3 points on 33,000 EUR of daily revenue equal 990 EUR a day, about 21,800 EUR a month over 22 days. Even counting only half of that effect (10,900 EUR a month), a tool at 9,000 EUR excl. VAT plus 110 EUR monthly maintenance pays back in under one month. The figure remains an estimate to be validated on your actual purchasing data.
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FAQ
How much does custom contract catering software cost?
At Kolonell, budget 4 to 7 M FCFA, i.e. 6,100 to 10,670 EUR excl. VAT, depending on the number of sites and modules. Maintenance ranges from 50 to 180 EUR a month.
How long until go-live?
12 to 16 weeks. Recipe cards and site orders are delivered first, around week 8, to measure the effect on food cost quickly.
Does the software help during a food safety inspection?
Yes, it stores temperature logs, batch numbers and retained samples per service. A 30-day traceability file exports to PDF in minutes.
Can clients place orders themselves?
Yes, each site gets access to enter headcounts before the cut-off, for example 2 pm the day before. Special diets are flagged per diner.
Can we keep our accounting software?
Yes, invoicing exports to DATEV, Sage or your accountant's format. A connector usually takes 1 to 2 weeks within the project.
Let's scope your project. Send us your meal volume, number of sites and current tools: we scope a build between 6,100 and 10,670 EUR excl. VAT delivered in 12 to 16 weeks, via our free quote form. 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.
