Hired by Jonathan Tribe CEO Delawere North to retain the catering contract at the Melbourne Zoo which was in jeopardy the focus was on turning the operations around to exceed guest expectations and thereby retain the contract which was achieved within the first six months.
The zoo had special challenges that made operations particularly tough. Resolving these challenges included inputs to design concepts that were going to exacerbate these challenges, and make economic viability challenging. The impact of weather on the business, the enormous size of the zoo grounds, and the mix of traditional patrons, the animals, and special events all made for an interesting time!
Catering fluctuated in any given day from less than 100 patrons to over 5000. The management of food outlets required on the spot response and was not predictable.
