The Story Behind Our Win At The Vendies Awards

Sometimes the best partnerships do not begin in a boardroom.

They begin on a motorway.

In 2023, Steve May from Refreshment Systems was driving along the M62 when an Oakhouse Foods van pulled alongside him. Oakhouse Foods is a nationally recognised frozen meal brand, trusted in homes across the UK.

That moment sparked a simple question:

Why isn’t that food in our vending machines?

Three years later, that passing thought has grown into an award-winning partnership. Refreshment Systems and Oakhouse Foods have now installed 100 hot food vending solutions nationwide, serving more than 45,000 meals every year and transforming access to quality hot food across NHS Trusts and high-demand workplaces.

This collaboration has now been recognised at The Vendies Awards, where Refreshment Systems and Oakhouse Foods were named winners of Collaboration of the Year.

And here is why.

Solving a Real Problem

In 2023, NHS Trusts were required to provide 24/7 access to hot food. The ambition was clear, but the practical challenge was significant.

Hospitals could not always keep staffed catering facilities open around the clock. This meant night teams in Emergency Departments, Intensive Care Units, theatres and other high-pressure areas were often left with limited food options.

Traditional vending was not enough. The solution needed to be reliable, safe, nutritious and suitable for a healthcare environment.

Refreshment Systems recognised the opportunity, but also understood that hot food vending in hospitals had to be more than a machine. It had to be a proper food service solution.

That is where Oakhouse Foods came in.

With a strong reputation for high-quality frozen meals, Oakhouse Foods was the ideal partner. Together, the two businesses created a solution that combined trusted food, reliable technology and operational expertise.

A True Partnership, Not Just a Supply Agreement

From the outside, the solution may look simple: a frozen vending machine, a microwave and quality meals available 24/7.

Behind the scenes, it is far more complex.

Refreshment Systems provides and maintains the vending infrastructure, working within the strict requirements of NHS estates, infection control and compliance. Oakhouse Foods supplies the meals and works closely with RSL to use telemetry data, helping ensure machines are stocked in line with real demand.

This is what makes the partnership so strong. It is not one company supplying the other. It is two businesses working as one.

Franchise partners are trained jointly. Maintenance and replenishment are coordinated together. Hospitals receive one joined-up, accountable and reliable service.

That level of collaboration is exactly what the award recognises.

Putting Standards Before Short-Term Gain

Every strong partnership is tested, and this one was no different.

In October 2024, Refreshment Systems and Oakhouse Foods made a bold decision. Although the Subzero system was working, both businesses felt it was not yet delivering at the standard their brands required.

So they switched every unit off.

For two weeks, machines were taken offline while a completely new back-office software platform was built in-house. Revenue paused and sites waited, but neither business was willing to compromise on quality, safety or trust.

The new system introduced extended temperature data storage for more than 12 months, providing stronger traceability and assurance for NHS environments.

That decision says everything about the partnership. Brand integrity came before short-term sales.

Protecting the Quality of Every Meal

Oakhouse Foods was equally clear that its meals could not become “just vending food”.

Every recipe went through detailed development and testing. Microwave timings were created specifically for commercial use, and meals were refined to ensure that the food served from a machine at 2am still reflected the quality people expect from the Oakhouse name.

This mattered because the Oakhouse brand sits visibly on the machines. Their reputation is part of the solution.

Both companies understood that quality could not stop at the point of installation. It had to be protected at every stage, from the food itself to the technology, data, training and maintenance behind it.

Real Results for Real People

The impact has been clear.

The partnership now operates 100 machines nationwide and serves more than 45,000 meals each year. Early installations, including at York Teaching Hospitals, demonstrated the immediate value of the model.

Frontline staff responded positively, particularly those working unsociable hours. Social media feedback described the solution as “a smart idea” and “amazing for ED, ICU and theatres”.

But the real success is not just in the launch response. It is in the sustained usage.

The demand did not disappear after the initial excitement. It grew and stabilised, proving that this was not a novelty. It was a needed service.

For NHS Trusts, it supports 24/7 food access without increasing staffing pressures. For estates teams, it provides a reliable and compliant solution. For night-shift staff, it means access to a hot, nutritious meal when little else is available.

Why We Won Collaboration of the Year

Refreshment Systems and Oakhouse Foods won Collaboration of the Year because this partnership goes far beyond a standard commercial arrangement.

Both businesses placed their reputations on the line. Both invested in quality. Both accepted operational risk to protect long-term credibility. Both challenged each other to make the solution stronger.

Together, they created a modern, data-led hot food vending solution that brings together technology, nutrition, reliability and trust.

The partnership has already proven itself in one of the most demanding environments in the UK: healthcare. It is now expanding into other 24/7 sectors, including manufacturing and warehousing, where reliable food access is just as important.

From a chance moment on the M62 to an award-winning national rollout, this collaboration shows what can happen when two businesses share the same standards and the same ambition.

That is why Refreshment Systems and Oakhouse Foods were proud to win Collaboration of the Year at The Vendies Awards.