Smart Office Refreshments at Samworth Brothers | Office Vending & Coffee Solutions

Samworth Brothers is a leading UK food manufacturer, employing over 12,500 people across 15 bakeries and producing more than a billion food products annually. Their clientele spans supermarkets, convenience stores, hospitality venues, travel hubs, and workplace catering – including Selecta UK, which they supply with fresh food-to-go.

Their ethos, “doing GOOD things with GREAT food,” underscores their commitment to community and employee wellbeing. This philosophy drove their desire to offer more than just basic vending – they envisioned a welcoming breakroom that reflects their brand values and offers quality workplace refreshments to all shift patterns. Prior to installation, there were no existing food provisions in place at their newly acquired and refurbished National Distribution Centre (NDC).

Samworth’s Food For Now NDC was a blank canvas – a newly acquired site with no pre-existing kitchen or food offering. While expectations from colleagues were high, space constraints ruled out a traditional canteen.

The company needed a smart, flexible, and self-sufficient alternative that could cater to a 24/7 workforce. With multiple shift patterns and limited facilities, a convenient solution that promoted social interaction and could meet diverse dietary needs was essential. Failing to meet this need risked damaging employee perception, missing an opportunity to create a strong internal culture, and underutilising the break area.

The core objective was to deliver a modern and flexible workplace refreshments solution that would support colleague wellbeing, create a strong first impression of the site, and foster a positive breakroom culture.

For the business, this meant enhancing employee satisfaction, increasing engagement during downtime, reinforcing brand values internally, and delivering a cost-effective canteen alternative.

A fully managed Micromarket was installed – a self-service, open-access food and drink hub offering chilled meals, snacks, and hot/cold beverages via intuitive self-checkout tills. Available 24/7, it was ideal for supporting Samworth’s shift-based operations without requiring a full kitchen or catering team.

The project also involved a full breakroom redesign, delivered in partnership with Hunts. The space was transformed into a relaxed, café-style environment, complete with soft seating, communal tables, open shelving, and integrated food service stations.

Key features included:

• A new micromarket with snacks, cold drinks and Samworth’s own fresh food selection
• An automatic bean to cup coffee machine and a freestanding instant coffee machine.
• Under counter fridges for personal storage.
• A central island with built-in water taps
• Empty cabinets reserved for future enhancements or storage.

Samworth chose this solution due to its alignment with modern retail environments – allowing staff to enjoy fresh food and refreshments in a way that mirrors high-street experiences.

From launch, the Micromarket saw impressive uptake. Employees responded positively to the high-quality design and convenience, with breakroom usage increasing significantly across all shifts.

Informal feedback praised the enhanced social atmosphere, ease of access, and variety of fresh options – reinforcing the company's investment in wellbeing.

The installation process was seamless, with excellent communication and a final result that exceeded expectations.

Long-term, the solution supports Samworth Brothers’ goals around employee engagement, wellbeing, and internal brand culture while reinforcing their own food offer through internal sampling and visibility.