Caterite History

Strong on tradition...

Forward thinking business.

 

The business has changed dramatically over the last 50 years from mobile shop to cash-and-carry and from supermarket to delivery wholesaler. What has not changed is Caterite’s ambition. We have - and always will - strive to be the very best in terms of the quality and commitment we offer our customers.

Strong on tradition, we’re also a forward-thinking innovative company. We’re market leaders and the changes we are constantly introducing to improve our service are aimed at keeping us – and our customers – ahead of the competition. 

Caterite Timeline

Over 50 years of foodservice

Caterite Today

After 50 years of Foodservice, Caterite is entering a new chapter in its history, whilst staying true to the values and service which has guided us to our success so far. We're in an exciting period of transformational change at Caterite, with significant developments within our business.

We're transforming online food and wine service through new technologies developed alongside our advanced e-commerce website, by expanding our digital and technical knowledge. Recent investments in our infrastructure include Caterite Connect a digital market place, warehouse management system, voice picking, microlise vehicle tracking and telematics, niche traceability, electronic proof of delivery (Epods), multi-temperature vehicles, product information management systems and most recently our direct to consumer channel - Caterite Click & Collect.

We’ve worked hard to establish an enviable reputation for supplying our customers with top-quality goods exactly to order, all delivered at competitive prices as part of an fast, friendly and efficient service in which extra is standard. It means our customers trust Caterite because they know they can rely on us.

 

1947- 1969

Caterite was formed in 1969 but its roots go back to 1947 when Chairman Keith Graham’s father established a mobile grocery shop in the Keswick area. Keith took it over in 1964 and five years later he bought the old West Cumberland Farmers warehouse in Keswick, - and Caterite was born. Delivering wholesale supplies on a cash-and-carry basis to the local catering industry.

 

 

1970- 1999

The 1980s saw Caterite develop a purpose-built warehouse at Southey Hill in Keswick and by 1991, a new wholesale distribution centre and retail superstore was built on the site of the old bus station at Tithebarn Street in Keswick. Still expanding, Caterite relocated the wholesale business to the current site at Embleton, Cockermouth, in 1999. 

 

 

2000 - 2014

Three years later, the retail business was sold to Booths. The development of the Embleton site has been pivotal to the company’s on-going success. In 2014 Caterite expanded the operation further when local Fruit & Vegetable Specialists Four Seasons Foods of Threlkeld was acquired.

 

 

2018 - 2019

In 2018 the acquisition of James Fruit and Veg in Penrith was made to further enhance our fresh offering with CaterPrep being developed the following year at the same Penrith site. In 2019 Caterite acquired Highgate Meats of Troutbeck and relocated the business into a custom-built fresh meat facility at our site in Embleton. 

 

"As we look to the future, we see opportunities to improve our service further, based on the strong foundations of our success so far."