The Flavour of Summer: Creating Memorable Workplace Experiences

Summer has a way of bringing teams together. Whether it’s a meal shared outside, a refreshing drink, a sweet treat on a warm afternoon or an unexpected ice cream, these small seasonal moments are often the ones people remember most.

That's part of the thinking behind what we're doing across our sites this summer. Nothing complicated. Just good seasonal food and a few treats that make the working day a bit better.

A bit of nostalgia

Some flavours take you straight back. For National Ice Cream Month we're serving silky soft serve with the toppings you probably grew up on like rainbow sprinkles, a proper 99 Flake, cookie crumb, brownie pieces.

It's a simple thing to put on, but teams love it. A soft serve in the afternoon gets team members talking, and it turns an ordinary day into a slightly better one.

Meet The Real Fruit Ice Cream Co

Alongside our soft serve celebrations, we were delighted to welcome The Real Fruit Ice Cream Co to one of our sites.

Inspired by the fruit farms of Aotearoa, New Zealand, where roadside orchard stalls blended fresh berries into creamy vanilla ice cream, the concept celebrates the natural sweetness of seasonal fruit. Founder Chloe Fagence introduced the concept in London and now makes it with seasonal British fruit, so it's naturally sweet without much else going on.

It’s exactly the kind of partnership we love at GEC. It’s an opportunity to work with independent brands that share our passion for creating exceptional food experiences .

Why we cook with the seasons

Seasonal ingredients allow our chefs to work creatively and showcase produce when it’s at its best. From fresh British berries to vibrant summer flavours, being able to use ingredients that reflect the time of year helps create menus that are relevant.

For workplace catering, this seasonal approach helps turn everyday meals into moments that guests can genuinely look forward to, giving them new flavours to discover and new reasons to connect. 

It also keeps menus interesting. When the produce changes through the year, there's always something new to try, which beats eating the same meals every week.

Crafting food experiences at work

The modern workplace is about creating environments where people can connect, collaborate and feel valued. At GEC, we’ve seen how food can play an important role in that experience.

From seasonal menus and chef-led concepts to collaborations with passionate producers, GEC continues to explore new ways to bring restaurant-quality hospitality into the workplace.

Sometimes, the smallest gestures like enjoying an ice cream on a hot summer’s day can create moments that leave a lasting impression.

If you're looking to create exceptional food experiences to engage your teams, we'd love to help. Get in touch with GEC to discover how our seasonal, chef-led approach can bring your workplace dining to life.