A landmark deal has been made between Compass Group UK & Ireland and foodservice supplier Brakes.

The venture, which will be the catering giant’s largest-ever distribution contract, will kick off in 2012 and see Brakes responsible for delivering more than £300 million-worth of goods every year to 5,500 Compass sites across the UK.

The contract is for a minimum of seven years and was awarded following a tender process.

The move follows the Compass Group’s two-year strategic review of its supply chain and will see the firm remove more than four million food miles from its environmental footprint in the UK.

Brakes will provide Compass with a single multi-temperature delivery system and an extensive range from the Brakes Group businesses.

This consolidation strategy has already been a success for Compass in Ireland, where 1.4m food miles have already been removed from the distribution network.

Ian Sarson, group managing director of Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “This contract is the first of its kind within the UK catering industry, creating a market-leading proposition for Compass and our clients for years to come. It will enable us to further reduce our environmental footprint and will ensure we are able to continue serving products of the highest quality and freshness to our customers.”

Philip Jansen, group chief executive of Brakes Group, added: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Compass and look forward to working closely together.”