JJ Foodservice is a British food wholesale and home delivery company that supplies universities, schools, takeaways and the general public in the United Kingdom.[4]
| Founded | December 23, 1988 in London, United Kingdom[1][2] |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mustafa Kiamil |
| Fate | Active |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | [3] |
| Website | jjfoodservice.com |
History
In 1982, Mustafa Kiamil started a burger bar named Jenny's Burgers, which expanded into a chain.[5] Kiamil struggled to find reliable tinned and fresh suppliers, so he established a catering delivery business, which soon began supplying other independent restaurants[6][5] Its first depot was in Hornsey, London.
Business and electrical engineering graduate Mushtaque Ahmed joined the business in 1997 as an administration clerk. Ahmet met Kiamil when Kiamil frequented a restaurant where Ahmed worked.[4]
The company insulated itself from fuel-price volatility by installing a 68,000 68,000 litres (15,000 US dry gal) fuel store on its premises and servicing its vehicles onsite. Limits on the number of hours drivers could work caused many of the company's existing HGV drivers to leave the profession, causing a driver shortage.[6]Kiamil addressed the driver shortage by recruiting from outside the UK, specifically from Poland. Many Polish workers had HGV-equivalent licences, typically earned during national military service. Yet, there were challenges associated with hiring from Poland, including language barriers and concerns about on-road experience. To tackle these, Kiamil implemented half-day English lessons every Saturday and four-hours per week of intensive lorry driving training for the new hires.[6]
In the financial year 2007–08, the company reported £9.1m profit on sales close to £117m. The company's net assets amounted to £27m, valued at £42m.[5]
The organisation has developed and bought its own-brand product range to market.[7][3]
Operations
JJ Food Service self-funded its growth and owns its buildings, vehicles, and equipment outright.[8]
The company equips its truck drivers with devices to track vehicle location, delivery completion, and stock distribution. The company requests eighty-five per cent of its stock delivery in the morning to minimise waste. Its suppliers deliver its remaining stock in the evening after the customers finalise their day's orders.[8]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company switched from supplying businesses to selling directly to its consumers.[9]