Introduction
Total Foodservice is a long‑established foodservice wholesaler operating across the North of England, supplying chefs, caterers and hospitality venues with high‑quality ingredients and operational essentials. With busy sites in Clitheroe and Huddersfield, the organisation produces a significant volume of printed marketing collateral, operational documentation and customer‑facing materials. The marketing department, in particular, relies heavily on high‑quality, reliable print output to support campaigns, product launches and seasonal promotions.
Situation
The initial enquiry came via a referral from another Key Digital customer. Rachel, the main contact at Total Foodservice, explained that the marketing department needed a dedicated production device rather than outsourcing print, while the printer currently in reception was proving costly to run.
Total Foodservice were in the process of gathering quotes, comparing options across suppliers. It had been decided that print was no longer going to be outsourced as this process was lengthy, with varying print run sizes being needed and print volumes increasing.
Upon making contact, an initial introductory meeting was arranged. Rachel agreed to gather volume data and contractual details for their existing supplier for review. Key Digital also advised on upgrading legacy office devices not currently under management, highlighting sustainability gains and improved reliability.
Solution
Key Digital delivered a structured, long‑term print solution built around reliability, sustainability and proactive support:
- A dedicated production printer for the marketing department, giving the team the output quality and speed required for heavy collateral production
- Heat‑Free Technology devices for the office print requirements, reducing energy consumption and supporting Total Foodservice’s sustainability goals
Ultimately, Total Foodservice agreed that Key Digital offered the strongest combination of technology, sustainability benefits and local support, and chose to proceed with us. To enable the switch, Total Foodservice cancelled their existing contract, with Key Digital settling the remaining balance on their behalf.
Once installed, the new devices performed well, but the customer highlighted an issue: consumables were running out too quickly due to their high print volumes. This required a more proactive replenishment strategy. Key Digital implemented a backup consumables strategy, ensuring toner stock was always in transit rather than waiting for 20% alerts. This eliminated downtime and kept pace with the high print volumes.
Regular review meetings were conducted, including an annual performance review, ensuring the solution continued to meet operational demands.
Future opportunities were identified, including:
- Exploring scanning and archive digitisation, supporting long‑term document lifecycle improvements
- Expanding Heat‑Free Technology adoption, which was agreed as an obvious next step from a green perspective
If your printers are cooking up more problems than solutions, let’s fix the recipe.
Outcome
Total Foodservice now operates a stable, efficient and environmentally aligned print infrastructure:
- Two Heat‑Free devices (Clitheroe & Huddersfield) and a production printer in marketing, all managed by Key Digital
- Significantly reduced running costs compared to their previous supplier
- Improved uptime thanks to proactive consumables management
- High satisfaction from the wider team, with consistent feedback that the devices perform well and support the busy print environment
- A strong ongoing partnership, with multiple future projects already identified – from sustainability‑driven upgrades to archive digitisation
Total Foodservice continues to print large volumes of marketing collateral with confidence, supported by a reliable, scalable and environmentally responsible solution from Key Digital.