Today, we are breaking down the food catering giant Compass Group. Whether it's your corporate cafeteria, the food stands at a sporting event, or the old hospital food tray, the food services industry is all around you. Compass is the giant in this space, with a history that dates back to the emergence of this outsourced trend.

My guest is Asif Jeevanjee, Chief Executive of Oakmount Capital. Asif talks through both the business and the sector. How does the ecosystem work? What do contracts typically look like? And why had I heard of Aramark but not Compass, when Compass is nearly double the size? Here is another example of carving out an effective business model around an essential need product. Please enjoy this breakdown of Compass Group.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns

(00:01:22) Understanding the Food Service Market

(00:05:03) Contract Structures and Retention

(00:11:47) The Origin Story of Compass Group

(00:17:33) Expansion into the US Market

(00:21:34) Sectorization and Market Penetration

(00:27:45) Growth Strategies and Pricing

(00:29:07) Financial Dynamics and Margins

(00:30:41) Procurement and Food Buy

(00:35:24) Labor Management and Technology

(00:37:55) Impact of Economic Cycles and Covid

(00:43:27) Capital Allocation and Valuation

(00:51:44) Lessons From Breaking Down Compass

(00:54:02) Key Lessons from Compass