Since the founding of ifse in 1991, our business was founded upon one principle – “A successful project, starts with a good design.”
For over 32 years, we have focused on providing our customers with unique and innovative catering designs and catering equipment to maximise the potential of their food and beverage facility.
We’ve been developing this mantra ever since and we’ve hit a few milestones along the way – take a look!
‘ifse’ (I-F-S-E) rebrands as ‘ifse’ (if-see), with a more modern and creative look and feel, helping to strengthen our position in the market as experts and leaders in commercial interior design.
Romann Catering gets a brand-new makeover that compliments ifse and enhances our overall brand image.
Andrew Fordyce steps down, leaving long-standing ifse member Julia Hill in charge as ifse’s new Managing Director, after 43 years of commitment to the company.
The company welcome further changes were made to the board, with Adam Bristow being promoted to Commercial Director, Sally Medina to Creative Director and Steven Hussey to F&B Director.
Learn about Julia’s progression through the ranks of ifse
The ifse team welcomed a crowd of new (and old!) faces to the team in 2022/23, further strengthening our already qualified and accomplished team.
In 2022, Marketing Executive Robert Wood, Designers Maria Tuta and Rania Abdelazim, Building Works Coordinator Harry Simpkin, Estimator Jess Long and Project Manager Chris Sherred joined the ifse team.
A year later in 2023, we welcomed new Estimator Chloe Boateng, Senior Designer Consuelo Redaelli, and Sales Manager Laurence Hookway, with Paul Hume rejoining after a short hiatus from the company.
Learn more about the new faces in 2022 here and here, and 2023 here.
Similar to the infamous Jonh Lewis & Waitrose partnership, in 2022 ifse officially became an EOT (Employee-Owned-Trust), meaning that every team member, no matter the position, has a stake in the success of the business. After a year of service, all team members qualify as shareholders and have a say in how the business is run.
Learn all about how ifse became an EOT in 2022.
The team become an official framework partner of The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO), broadening our connections within the Education industry and helping us to secure even more projects with many of the UK’s leading universities.
Read about ifse’s partnership with TUCO.
Following a handful of projects previously, ifse partners with major British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer for the design and fit-out of their in-store cafés across the nation, with M&S Leamington Spa and London Colney already under our belt and Manchester’s Trafford Centre currently in development.
Explore our cherished projects for Leamington Spa and London Colney.
Based in the heart of Reading, Campus is a dynamic, intelligent and wellness-focused workspace created in 2022. Awarded ‘Development of the Year’, we were delighted to be selected as the design-and-build partner for the brand new £1.5m restaurant, café and commercial kitchen space, setting a new standard for workplace dining, entertaining and socialising.
Learn all about one of our favourite projects of all time at Campus Reading.
Following in previous Sales Directors Kim Chapman’s footsteps after 22 years strong with ifse, Adam Bristow’s hard work was rewarded with a promotion to Marketing Director after a previous leap from Marketing Executive to Head of Marketing.
Read more about Kim’s time at ifse and his eventual retirement.
The ifse team achieved a record set of financial results for the financial year ending 31st March 2019 with an impressive £11m in revenue following a 12% increase in turnover totalling £9.3m in the previous year.
Croydon-based Superdrug chose ifse as the design and fit-out partner for the vibrant redevelopment of their head office catering facility.
Explore our case study for Superdrug.
ifse joins CEDA, an association promoting an atmosphere of enterprise, innovation and fair competition where Members operate ethically, encourage excellence and strive for improved standards in both their businesses and the wider Industry.
As part of a multimillion-pound project for the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, the ifse team successfully completed 6 restaurant fit-outs across the centre.
Dive into our case study for the NEC here and here.
ifse acquired sister company Romann Catering to further extend the equipment servicing partnership already established.
Jump into ifse’s partnership with Romann.
ifse partners with LRS to bring state-of-the-art technology to replace the traditional wooden spoon system, introducing the revolutionary Table Tracker to the Garden Centre and Business & Industry markets.
Read about Table Tracker technology.
In partnership with Electrolux, we add the High Speed Grill to our Specialist Products. The HSG is able to create great tasting paninis in under 60 seconds!
After steering ifse into new markets and new possibilities, Bill Moore retires after 18 years at the top.
Julia Hill and Dave Evans are made company directors, cementing ifse’s position of stability and experience in the market.
ifse completed a multimillion-pound redevelopment of St Georges Hospital F&B facility in Tooting.
ifse begin supplying furniture and interior fit-outs to further cement our offer as a one-stop-shop for all our catering and food service customer requirements.
Our partnership with Swedish multinational Electrolux Professional is formalized, bringing cost-effective, state-of-the-art equipment discounts to all of our customers.
After serving the company for many years, Ron Hodge retires, leaving Andrew and Bill to expand the company into different market sectors with exciting and innovative catering designs and state-of-the-art equipment.
The Contracts division of Servequip was taken over by 3 directors, Andrew Fordyce, Bill Moore and Ron Hodge to create International Food Service Equipment (ifse).
Ray Cumbo, John Cumbo’s son, pioneered the migration of catering equipment from the US over to the UK for the emerging fast-food industry. This key insight grew the company into two key divisions, Products and Contracts.
Servequip is founded in the 1970’s by Entrepreneur John Cumbo who started the company with one binding principle, “good Restaurants need great equipment!”
