Accent Catering has become the latest foodservice business to join Accessible Hospitality Alliance (aha), adding further momentum to a membership that continues to expand across hospitality and catering.
The independent caterer operates across the workplace and education sectors, providing catering services to businesses, independent schools, academies and state schools across a growing geography, mostly based in London, the South East and the Midlands.
Founded in 2001, Accent has built its business around fresh food, close client relationships and services shaped to the needs of each location. Today, its teams serve more than 80,000 meals a day across more than 150 client sites.
Accent’s arrival strengthens an established catering presence within aha, alongside members including Thomas Franks, BM Caterers, and Savore.
Antony Prentice, Commercial Director at Accent Catering, said: “We are proud to work alongside like-minded organisations to share best practice, continue to drive positive change and to make our industry more inclusive for all. Joining the aha reflects our commitment at Accent Catering to creating welcoming environments where everyone can enjoy hospitality. It is about ensuring that every customer and team member feels valued and respected.”
Accessible Hospitality Alliance brings together hospitality operators, people with lived experience of barriers to hospitality and service partners to share practical knowledge, and progress accessibility through collective action.
Accent joins at a time of growing momentum for the alliance, with membership continuing to develop ahead of its next London forum in November, and its return to Malta for another Mediterranean forum next March.
The aha Forums have consistently been oversubscribed, reflecting a growing appetite among operators for practical conversations around accessibility. Those conversations extend beyond physical access and compliance. They increasingly consider how hospitality businesses can widen access to employment, develop and retain talent, and improve guest services for a broader range of people.
For operators, accessibility is becoming less of an initiative and more a core consideration within recruitment, workplace culture, service, and commercial performance.
Robin Sheppard, Chair and co-founder of Accessible Hospitality Alliance, and co-founder and former President of Bespoke Hotels, said: “We are delighted to welcome Accent Catering to membership of Accessible Hospitality Alliance. As membership grows so does our perspective on how to make our industry more accessible to colleagues and guests.
“We look forward to working with Antony and the team at Accent Catering, their appointment of an Access Champion, and their Access Champion becoming part of The Access Champions Collective alongside fellow members all focused on actioning change.”
Accent’s membership is another sign of aha’s growing relevance across the industry, as another accomplished operator joins the purpose of a hospitality world that welcomes everyone.
Hospitality operators interested in exploring membership are invited to contact Accessible Hospitality Alliance. Everyone is welcome.