“The collective for independent school caterers in Japan committed to fresh food, ethical sourcing, and community focus."
The School Food Collective started with a simple conviction: independent school caterers shouldn't have to work alone. We're building a network that gives independent operators collective strength—shared standards, developing supplier relationships, and peer support.
Each founding member operates their kitchen independently, maintaining complete focus on their unique community. Meet the schools leading the way in independent school catering across Japan.
Serving 800 students from early years through senior school, YIS celebrates the remarkable diversity of its 60+ nationalities through thoughtfully prepared meals that honor different cultures and dietary traditions.
Since 2015, their independent catering team has built a food program that goes beyond the cafeteria—offering cooking classes to the wider community and creating a welcoming space where global flavors meet fresh, local ingredients.
Since 2015, the Deutsche Schule Tokyo Yokohama has provided food services that honor our cultural roots while embracing the best of Japanese local produce. Serving 600 students from early years through senior school, our independent kitchen creates hearty, wholesome meals prepared with care and precision that represent our community's values. We believe authentic flavors and thoughtful adaptation to life in Japan aren't contradictory—they strengthen each other. Our commitment to independent operations allows us to maintain quality and cultural authenticity while building strong relationships with local suppliers.
These founding members demonstrate that independent caterers focused on a single school community consistently outperform corporate programmes. Each school maintains complete autonomy over their kitchen operations whilst gaining the collective strength of shared standards, peer support, and developing supplier networks.
The School Food Collective connects independent school caterers across Japan through shared standards, developing supplier relationships, and peer support.
Together, we're proving that operators focused on a single school can outperform corporate caterers: meals prepared from scratch, menus that respond to real feedback, and food service rooted in community rather than contracts.
© 2025 School Food Collective. A not-for-profit collective supporting independent school caterers across Japan.
