Technology, with impact.
AgileChain supports organisations across the food system with connected digital tools that help them better understand, manage and strengthen their supply chains.
Used by schools, hospitals and universities across the UK, AgileChain is helping to improve transparency, simplify procurement and support better decision-making.
Our work spans public sector procurement, supply chain management, analytics and data management, helping organisations tackle procurement and supply chain challenges while creating more resilient, efficient and sustainable food systems.
Shaping the future of food procurement.
Since 2016, AgileChain has underpinned the transformation of public sector food procurement, supporting the changes long called for by the food and farming industry, including organisations such as Food Foundation, the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission, Sustainable Food Places, the National Farmers' Union and the Soil Association.
Working with government departments, public sector organisations and industry partners, we've helped deliver breakthrough change in public sector food procurement for the first time in decades.
Jayne Jones, Chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, explains why transforming public sector food procurement matters: “I’m acutely aware of the need to ensure that public food not only provides the best quality, nutritious meals that we can to patients, pupils, care home residents and students, but in doing so we need to be mindful of the impact we can have on a range of issues, such as leveraging local supply chains, supporting community wealth building, helping to address climate change and biodiversity loss and tackling the consequences of poverty and health inequalities. In short, working to create a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive food system for all.”
The work Equilibrium Markets delivers, including AgileChain, shows that they are not only working to support public caterers to deliver systems change, but are on the cutting edge of thinking and action to help caterers to do so. They do this without losing sight of people: of caterers, producers, suppliers and recipients of public food, who remain at the forefront of their thinking.”.
Jayne Jones
Chair, Public Sector Catering Alliance
Powering the Buying Better Food & Drink Framework.
AgileChain provides the digital technology for the Government Commercial Agency's Buying Better Food & Drink Framework, helping public sector organisations buy food more efficiently, transparently and through compliant procurement processes.
The platform connects buyers with approved suppliers through a single digital environment, making it easier to manage procurement, supplier information and ordering while remaining compliant with framework requirements.
By bringing together accurate product, supplier and procurement data, AgileChain gives buyers greater visibility across their supply chains, reduces administrative effort, and supports more informed purchasing decisions. It helps organisations meet their objectives around sustainability, traceability, supplier diversity and social value, while creating more opportunities for SMEs, local producers and regional food businesses to participate in public sector supply chains. Watch the video to learn more.
The Follow the Carrot report highlights the scale of the opportunity ahead. Expanding free school meals across England could increase annual school meals from around 1 billion to more than 1.54 billion, creating an additional food procurement opportunity worth over £600 million a year for UK producers and suppliers if managed effectively.
Meeting this level of demand requires a more dynamic approach to procurement. Schools and caterers need the flexibility to adapt menus, specifications and suppliers in real time while continuing to prioritise nutritious, sustainable, British-grown ingredients and operate within tight budgets.
AgileChain supports this by connecting buyers more directly with producers, improving visibility of products, suppliers and standards, and helping public sector caterers to direct their spending towards healthier diets, resilient local supply chains and better outcomes for pupils, farmers and the environment.
Preparing for the future.
Pioneering Dynamic Food Procurement.
Working with schools across Bath and North East Somerset, our flagship pilot of Dynamic Food Procurement pilot realised cost savings, lowered carbon emissions and strengthened connections between public sector buyers and regional producers, creating lasting value across the local economy.
Who we work with.
We work with organisations across the food system, including:
Public sector organisations
Caterers and food service providers
Farmers and producers
Food distributors and wholesalers
Universities and schools
Local authorities
Procurement teams
Food system partnerships and networks
See how AgileChain can give you the data, insights and digital tools to build a more efficient, transparent and resilient food supply chain. Get in touch to arrange a demo.