Social Pantry receives £1.1m funding

The London-based catering company Social Pantry, which aims to help young offenders, is set to expand after receiving £1.1m investment from Edition Capital.

Alex Head

Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur and restaurateur Alex Head, Social Pantry is seeking further partners to work with after securing the funding.

An ethical food business, with a focus on sustainability and social enterprise, the company currently operates in seven locations across the city, including Social Pantry Café in Battersea; Soane’s Kitchen at Pitzhanger Manor, Ealing; and Crane’s Kitchen in Peckham, with a client list including Harvey Nichols, Jo Malone and Browns.

Since 2015, Head has been an ambassador for the Key4Life charity, which helps rehabilitate and support young ex-offenders.

Head said: “I founded Social Pantry eight years ago after seeing a gap in the market for exciting, innovative and good-quality event catering. 

We have worked with some brilliant brands and individuals along the way, and created one-of-a-kind, memorable experiences, from product launches for world-famous supermodels, to being the catering partner for London in the Sky, serving dinner 100ft high in the air. 

Throughout our journey I have worked hard to ensure the same philosophies we started with are still instilled in the business today.”

With 10% of Social Pantry’s staff currently ex-offenders, the funding will give the opportunity for this figure to rise with Head expanding her work in London prisons and charities to offer job opportunities.

Head added: “I am honoured to work with some incredible individuals, including many, who after difficult starts, could have gone on to lead very different lives. 

This investment will allow us to further realise our ambitions, both in terms of growing the business to reach new markets, but also, with helping more people than ever turn their lives around through work opportunities in the hospitality industry.”