From school canteens to NHS kitchens, food procurement is becoming more complex and critical. Rising costs, shifting supply, and growing expectations around quality and sustainability are reshaping how public sector teams plan and serve meals. 

Entegra’s latest Market Trends Report highlights the key challenges as we move into Autumn whilst offering clear, practical strategies to help you stay ahead. 

Beef, Chicken and Turkey: Protein Pressures 

• Rising costs and tight supply continue to affect core proteins.
• Beef: UK and EU herds are shrinking; prices remain well above 2024 levels.
• Chicken: Supply is down due to welfare-driven reforms; small fillets are hard to source.
• Turkey: Stock is tight and prices are climbing ahead of Christmas. 

Entegra Tips: Lock in festive orders early. Review portion sizes and specs for cost control. 

Fruit & Veg: Weather-Driven Volatility 

• Unusual weather has affected crop quality and availability.
• Tenderstem broccoli: Ongoing shortages; now sourced from Kenya.
• Spring greens & brassicas: Smaller sizes, pest issues due to warm, dry spring.
• Strawberries: Peaking now; raspberries less available due to heat. 

Entegra Tips: Focus on British seasonal produce to cut costs and food miles. Align menus with availability to reduce prep time and waste. 

Dairy & Eggs: Balancing Growth with Constraints 

• Milk production is up but other dairy lines remain under pressure.
• Cream & butter: Prices rising due to warm weather and tight EU supply.
• Eggs: Still constrained due to avian flu and demand for cage-free options. 

Entegra Tips: Limit cream-heavy dishes. Serve scrambled eggs to order or in smaller batches to reduce waste. 

Seafood: Cost Pressures Across Popular Lines 

• Supply constraints are keeping seafood prices elevated.
• Cod & haddock: Shortages due to fishing quotas; prices high.
• Coley: Becoming more expensive as a cod alternative.
• Seabass: Prices up due to reduced EU production and rising demand. 

Entegra Tips: Consider alternative species or smaller portions. Ask suppliers for traceable, sustainable options. 

Turn Procurement Challenges into Strategic Wins

The message is clear: procurement can no longer be seen as a background function. It’s a strategic lever that directly influences cost control, service continuity and progress toward sustainability goals. 

That’s exactly what the Buying Better Food and Drink framework from Crown Commercial Service is built to support. Delivered by Entegra, it’s a fully compliant, insight-led solution that equips public sector catering teams with the tools and expert guidance to: 

• Access thousands of compliant products from one platform
• Track environmental impact to inform decision making
• Simplify billing and financial administration with central billing
• Nominate SMEs to boost social value in your community 

Plus, in addition to Entegra’s expert support, the Crown Commercial Service Facilities Management team is also available to assist with your call-off contracts where needed. Their involvement can help ensure your procurement process is fully compliant, aligned with the Government Buying Standard for food and catering, and focused on achieving best value throughout your buying journey. 

So, whether you're feeding patients or pupils, your mission remains the same: to provide nutritious, delicious, high-quality meals under pressure. With the right support and forward-looking procurement strategies, it’s possible to do just that, even in today’s challenging market. 

Procurement isn’t just about cost anymore. It’s about maintaining continuity, meeting compliance standards and making confident, informed decisions. The Buying Better Food and Drink framework, is built to help public sector teams do exactly that. 

Let’s simplify the process. Get in touch to find out how this fully compliant, insight-led solution can streamline your sourcing, reduce risk and support the quality of service your organisation delivers every day. 

Download the full market report here.