29 March 2019 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal
Compass Group UK & Ireland has announced the formation of the RA Group by bringing together several different catering companies.
Restaurant Associates, Levy Leisure, which will now be rebranded as RA Venues, and Rapport - a family of companies that together embody the high end of food and hospitality within the industry - will now be known as RA Group.
The new name, which takes immediate effect, "reflects the values, consumer demographics and food and service standards that are shared by these three companies, as well as their commitment to recruiting, retaining and developing the very best talent in the industry" says Compass.
Alice Woodwark, manager director of RA Group, said: "Joining together these three impressive businesses within one group brings great benefits to our customers and guests as well as to our clients.
"Restaurant Associates and Rapport clients will gain access to a prestigious range of venues within which to host external events, as well as access to the strong catering and events capabilities of the RA Venues team. Equally, RA Venues clients will benefit from insights and opportunities from Restaurant Associates and Rapport's leading position in the corporate market.
"As the workplace food landscape becomes ever more consumer-focused, Restaurant Associates will also gain from RA Venues' retailing expertise in over 50 public-facing cafes and restaurants. Similarly, the recognised leadership that Rapport holds in the field of guest services - as a multi-award-winning business that has been recognised as one of the Top 30 Best Places to Work in Hospitality for the last five years - brings further depth to the great service culture at both Restaurant Associates and RA Venues."
Moving Levy Leisure into the RA Group and rebranding it as RA Venues has the additional advantage of "aligning the Compass Group brands in the UK and America", according to Compass.
In the US, visitor attractions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Guggenheim in New York City are served by Restaurant Associates.