Thomas Franks – BritCham Shanghai

Thomas Franks is a leading family-owned contract catering partner. Founded in the UK, the company now operates in 16 countries and has a growing presence in China. Led by Frank Bothwell and his family, Thomas Franks focuses on three core sectors: education, workplaces, and stadiums. In education, it works with many of the world’s leading independent schools, including Eltham College, Millfield, North London Collegiate School, St Julian’s (Lisbon), and Wycombe Abbey, and holds multinational contracts with groups such as Dukes Education, Inspired, and Globeducate.

In 2022, Thomas Franks won the prestigious Best Employer Award and the Foodservice Caterer Award at The Cateys, followed by the Health and Nutrition Award in 2023. Investors in People awarded the company platinum accreditation in 2025, and The Sunday Times listed Thomas Franks in the top 10 of their Best Places to Work guide. Every staff member is offered an individual assessment of their skills and a bespoke personal development plan, and internal training programmes led by Michelin-star chefs and experienced culinary directors have a 98% satisfaction rate.

In 2019, the company launched The Thomas Franks Foundation with the ambition of eradicating food poverty. Since its inception, the Foundation has partnered with 300 charities to deliver more than three million meals to people in need across the world.