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Buying Better Food and Drink Framework

The Buying Better Food and Drink Framework

Purposeful procurement, negotiated by us, chosen by you.

The Buying Better Food and Drink framework by Crown Commercial Service (CCS)* aims to reshape public sector food and drink procurement by offering a compliant, transparent, and simplified way to buy. Powered by Entegra’s unmatched purchasing expertise, and leveraging AgileChain technology, this initiative seamlessly connects buyers with a diverse range of SMEs, producers, and distributors through one, user-friendly online platform.

About the framework

The CCS framework is a free-to-use, regulation and food safety compliant, procurement solution available for all public sector organisations. As well as providing access to thousands of quality, competitively-priced food and drink products, it will eventually bring key innovations like improved sustainability and efficiency by using dynamic procurement methods to promote diversity in the food chain. As the framework grows, it also aims to encourage SME involvement, help buyers understand the broader impacts of their purchases and provide traceability of environmental effects.

Why you should be ‘Buying Better’


 
Convenience at your fingertips

Convenience at your fingertips: Explore a vast selection of food ingredients and beverages to meet all your on-site catering needs. With comprehensive training and continuous support, you can access a user-friendly system for placing orders anytime, anywhere, for an effortless experience.

Seamless sustainable sourcing

Supplier flexibility: Tailor your supply chain by nominating the suppliers you want to work with, in addition to leveraging our pre-approved network for maximum flexibility. We’ll take care of the hard work - pre-vetting and ensuring that your chosen suppliers meet all regulatory standards and compliance requirements.

Competitive pricing with dependable service

Competitive pricing with dependable service: Experience dependable food quality and service standards, backed by Entegra's unbeatable group purchasing power, expert advice and tailored solutions designed to fit your budget perfectly.

 
 

 

Sustainability

As the framework evolves, our goal is to champion short, transparent supply chains that prioritises sustainability and social value. By fostering close collaboration with SMEs, we aim to offer clear insights into the origins of your food - who produces it, where it's sourced, and how it's made. This transparency is key to promoting sustainable practices, such as carbon reduction and biodiversity protection, while ensuring traceable food provenance.

Our ambition is to empower partners with data-driven insights that help meet net zero targets by minimising CO2 emissions across the entire food supply chain. Beyond environmental goals, we’re committed to building social value. The framework will enable you to nominate SME producers, both directly and through distributors, to support local economies and create lasting positive impacts. In doing so, we hope to address economic inequality, promote education, ensure fair opportunities, and enhance overall wellbeing throughout the supply chain.

Discover the Power of Smarter Procurement in Minutes

Ready to dive deeper? Watch our short video to discover how the Buying Better Food and Drink agreement aims to transform public sector procurement. In just a few minutes, you'll see how it can save you time, offer more choice and flexibility, and support your operational goals.

Your Questions About the Framework Answered

The Buying Better Food and Drink aims to offer better value for public spending while helping buyers meet their operational, strategic and financial goals. By using a dynamic procurement strategy, new suppliers can be added throughout the contract's duration. This approach supports SME suppliers and producers by identifying and promoting them within an existing distributor network.

It also means that buyers can suggest their preferred SME partners for potential inclusion in the framework, helping to promote social value in their communities.

In its current stage, Phase 1, buyers can order from three national food distributors through the platform, all offering strong coverage with regional hubs. As more buyers join the framework and Entegra identifies their unique requirements and objectives, buyers will have the opportunity to nominate preferred suppliers from their own communities.

Entegra will then conduct thorough vetting to ensure these suppliers meet all compliance standards before adding to the framework if compliant. Allergy, nutritional, pricing and technical product information will be available from within the system, and sustainability reports will initially be provided by the distributors before this type of information becomes core functionality in Phase 2

SME inclusion is enabled by "Buyer Unique Lines" which allow buyers to nominate specific producers to supply through distributors or directly. AgileChain technology will streamline the producer-distributor relationship to make it easier for small producers to supply, as well as creating a single order-online access point for buyers to order from a choice of distributors and producers.

The key aims are to provide a simple, compliant framework to purchase food and drink that champions sustainability, upholds food quality, and enhances welfare standards by aligning with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering (GBSF). The framework is committed to minimising food and packaging waste, promoting social value, fostering equality and diversity, and mitigating modern slavery risks. Through streamlined customer experiences, it strives to shorten supply chains and enable partners to achieve their carbon net-zero objectives.

Buying through the framework will eventually enable transparency, shorten supply chains and help tackle carbon dioxide and green gasses at farm level. The benefits of sourcing from shorter supply chains include improved animal welfare, reduced emissions, and increased flexibility for buyers. It also benefits the economy and supports SME farmers and producers.

The framework offers a transparent, compliant and sustainable food and drink procurement solution, specifically designed to meet the unique needs of public sector organisations. It also promotes diversity in the food supply chain by encouraging SME participation, with a focus on sustainable, economical, and ethical procurement. Through AgileChain technology, the framework will eventually offer full traceability of the environmental impact of purchases, empowering buyers to make informed decisions based not only on cost but also on the broader effects of their choices.

Buyers will also benefit from tailored solutions and dedicated procurement support from Entegra, ensuring budget constraints are adhered to. Plus, Entegra’s Central Billing System streamlines payment management for added convenience.

Start the Conversation

Want to know how you can get involved? Complete our short form to request a call or meeting. Alternatively, you can sign up to our Buying Better Food and Drink mailing list to be kept up to date on all the latest developments.

*Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services.

In 2019/20, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits worth over £1bn - supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.