Founded by two friends with a goal of helping people eat better more often, The Dinner Ladies brand has been defined by a commitment to quality produce, wholesome and delicious meals, and happy customers.
From its roots in home cooking, the company has grown from a founder-led small business to a medium-sized enterprise with a dedicated management team. Over the last three years it has more than doubled its revenue.
As the company grew, The Dinner Ladies was determined to keep using the same methods and ingredients in its large-scale production to ensures every meal was made with the utmost care and quality.
The Dinner Ladies embraced cutting-edge technology to streamline its operations. It was the first in Australia to adopt the Galley recipe management system and have recently migrated its website to Shopify.
By maintaining a direct relationship with its customers through online orders, The Dinner Ladies have been able to offer competitive prices without retail or wholesale markups. This allows them to source the best possible ingredients and oversee the entire process, from sourcing to delivery.
The Dinner Ladies’ claim its top-selling classic lasagne is the best commercially sold lasagne in Australia.
Customer service is another cornerstone of their success, with a continuous NPD process to develop new products to keep customers engaged and excited about their offerings.
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles have always been at the forefront of The Dinner Ladies' mission. They have installed solar panels across their entire factory complex, switched from plastic to biodegradable pulp trays for packaging, and moved from polystyrene to cardboard for delivery boxes. All their poultry and egg products are free-range.
The company actively support various charities and community organisations, including providing meals for parents of children in the oncology ward at Westmead Hospital.
The company has just completed a rebranding exercise and is in the process of developing its own app to improve customer communication and provide better access to information about their food and preparation tips.
Expansion plans are underway that will improve efficiency, enhance processes and systems, and better serve interstate customers.
