Outsourced services group Norse Commercial Services has begun providing meals at seven Suffolk primary schools under a series of three-year contracts worth around £250,000.

The agreements, which include three large academies in Ipswich, will involve Norse – a member of the EADT/EDP Top 100 listing of the 100 largest companies in Suffolk and Norfolk – providing an average of around 800 meals a day.

Clare Jordan, business support manager for catering at Norse, said: “For some time we have been building relationships with academy trusts, head teachers and governors in Suffolk schools and are delighted to now be supplying some of the leading educational establishments in the county.

“Before the contracts began, we took a lot of time to introduce Norse catering to the parents and children by attending parents’ evenings and new intake evenings, as well as organising taster sessions at each school.”

Terrance Isaac-Griffiths, commercial director at Norse, added: “As well as our delicious menus and excellent quality ingredients, it was our passion and enthusiasm for feeding children great food that won us the contracts.

“We are absolutely delighted to be working with these Suffolk Schools and see this as a big step forward in our mission to become East Anglia’s first choice provider for school meals.”

Jeremy Pentreath, headteacher at The Oaks Primary School in Ipswich, one of those which has signed up with Norse, said: “We have been delighted by all aspects of Norse’s service.

“The transition for kitchen staff to new management and systems has been seamless and, most importantly, the quality of ingredients and meals are high.”

A total of 21 workers at the seven schools have transferred to Norse under protection of employment regulations. Norse says that, following the launch of the new contracts, it has received a “significant” number of enquiries from other schools in the county.