Social Pantry

For our January coffee concept of the month, we are spotlighting Social Pantry. This is an independent, sustainable catering company, championing employment of prisoner leavers. We love their company ethos and focus on building memorable experiences around good food.

We spoke with Alex, the owner of Social Pantry, and asked her some questions about the business. Read on to find out more.

You can find them on Instagram @social_pantry

Tell us a bit about your business, and the motivation for starting the brand?

I started Social Pantry in 2011 as I had a passion for gathering people together to have memorable experiences around good food. This led me to launch what has now become the leading, independent, sustainable catering company, serving fresh, seasonal food at unique and exciting events. Back in 2015 I visited prison for the first time and shortly after, had our first prison leaver join the team and since then I’ve not looked back.

We’re now one of the leaders in ex-offender employment in the hospitality industry and we try to challenge the industry norm with our culture – from a no-shouty kitchen policy to our prison leaver mentoring, it’s an integral part of life at Social Pantry.

Why do you like using Redemption Roasters’ coffee?

Aside from the coffee being in a league of its own, the work you do at Redemption is incredible and aligns with our mission closely. Where we can, we work with partners who champion sustainability, regenerative farming and of course, the rehabilitation of prison leavers and improving life behind bars. Alongside Redemption, we work with a number of prisons and partner organisations who work tirelessly to ensure people leaving prison have options in order to support and reintegrate them into the world of work – such as Key 4 Life, StandOut and BanTheBox. I’m also on the Employment Board at HMP Wandsworth and this role allows me to leverage the existing partnerships we have with charities and connections we have made over the years, to get soon-to-be-released prisoners lined up with a job role that suits their expertise. We’re also working behind bars at HMP/YOI Feltham to train up young men in kitchen skills, so lots of our work aligns when it comes to providing opportunities to those behind bars.

Where do you see your business going in five years?

Our long-term goal is to open a training academy for prison leavers, where we would be able to take on greater numbers and support them in a number of ways… stay tuned!

What’s next for your business?

In early 2023 after years of behind-the-scenes work, we opened our first ever café behind bars at HMP/YOI Feltham, with four inmates working with one of our chefs to produce food in the officer’s mess. The young men are working towards their Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications, so we’re looking forward to seeing where this develops! We have no plans to slow down in 2024 - we are currently in talks to expand our prison café network, as well as taking on prisoners from Brixton and Feltham Prisons on a ROTL basis. This stands for Release on Temporary Licence, where they are able to leave prison for a short time, usually towards the end of their sentence to prepare people for resettlement into their communities, so they will be able to come to work at our HQ and return to prison at the end of their shift.

We are also planning our first Social Supper since 2018. This is an evening where we shine the spotlight on our prison leavers, pairing them with renowned chefs and allow them to take over the menu and test their kitchen skills at a luxury dinner event. The date is set for the end of March 2024 and it’ll be held at the one and only Somerset House. More details will be coming on this soon and tickets will go on sale very soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

What is your favourite thing about your business?

I think that no day is the same - the sheer diversity of what we do and the events we cater for is ever-changing. I get to meet so many different people and that provides me with constant ideas for Social Pantry. I also am fortunate to have such a dedicated team who are passionate about what they do.

What have been some of your biggest learning experiences in running your business?

Running a growing business can feel like it is a constant learning curve! There have been so many challenges along the way but one element that always keeps us on our toes is that it is a very competitive market with a number of brilliant operators. Staying ahead of and setting the trends as a caterer is essential and also a continuous challenge. Next week I am off to Tokyo with our Executive Chef and Development Chef on a food research trip - one of the ways we try and stay ahead of food trends is to visit and learn from the best operators.

Finally, what’s your favourite coffee to make and Redemption Roasters product?

Our favourite roast is The Yard and that’s what we mostly use across our Cafes and our Restaurant, but we also use it across our catering menu too. Whether it’s a coffee Crème Pat to fill our Choux Buns, a rich Coffee Ice Cream or a classic Tiramisu made by our Italian Pastry Chef, we love to incorporate Redemption into our menus wherever we can, so we can shout about the amazing work you do!