Loaf Catering

Loaf Catering: outside catering with an employment mission in Belfast

Loaf Catering operates as a social enterprise with a presence in Belfast, Dublin (Kilmainham) and Crawfordsburn. Its catering activity focuses on outside catering for events, offices and parties, and the organisation states that it supports people with learning disabilities and autism into jobs with a future. The business is linked to the NOW Group, whose head office in Northern Ireland appears in the company's contact details.

Catering for meetings, events and parties

The catering side delivers fresh food to meetings, events and parties within the greater Belfast area. According to the company, all orders require 48 hours' notice so that everything can be prepared to the required standard. The catering hub is described as a building next to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, formerly the derelict Oak Bar, now converted into a yellow structure that the company presents as a local landmark.

Food to go and delivery

Beyond event catering, Loaf Catering offers online food ordering with delivery or pickup, and a delivery service. The site also mentions a gift card and a feedback channel for customers.

Pottery, classes and gifts with purpose

Loaf Pottery in Crawfordsburn combines a coffee shop with a wood-fired pizza oven. It runs activities such as Pizza & Pottery nights and a paint-me-glaze-me format for children, served with pizza and ice cream. Pottery classes can be booked individually or in groups, and the company sells social enterprise pottery online for individual gifting as well as branded corporate gifts for businesses.

The Loaf Cafes

The group operates several cafes under the Loaf name, each with its own character:

• Loaf Cafe at Kilmainham (Dublin): located in Kilmainham Square, across the street from Kilmainham Gaol. The menu includes speciality sandwiches, hot food and sweet treats.
• The Bobbin (Belfast City Hall): open to the public even for visitors not taking the City Hall tour, six days a week. It serves breakfast and lunch, with artisan sandwiches, traditional Irish stew, soups, coffee, teas, cakes and scones, plus kid-friendly options. Free Wi-Fi and accessible restrooms are available.
• Loaf Cafe at The Ewart Building (Belfast): run in partnership with Deloitte, on Bedford Street, a short walk from City Hall and major transport hubs.
• Loaf Pottery and Coffee Shop (Crawfordsburn, County Down): the pottery and pizza venue described above.

The company also lists a Loaf Cafe & Bakery on Grosvenor Road in Belfast as closed, and states that the cafe at its catering location has been closed to focus on expanding the catering business.

Employment and training

The organisation invites people interested in working for it to complete a short job questionnaire or send a CV. This connects with its stated purpose of creating employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism.

Corporate structure

The contact details identify the head office in Northern Ireland at NOW Group, 15-17 Grosvenor Road, Belfast, with charity number NIC100093 and company number NI043774 (The NOW Project Ltd T/A NOW Group). For Ireland, the site lists NOW Training and Employment Enterprise CLG, trading as NOW Group, with registered charity number 20204791 and company number 658992.