This year marks an important milestone for CRB Cunninghams. 2021 is the year we celebrate our 55 years of business.
55 years! That's 55 years of service and commitment to our customers. Fifty-five years of innovation and product development. Fifty-five years of experience, knowledge, and versatility. Fifty-five years in which the quality of our cashless solutions and services has always been our top priority, and 55 years of sharing best practices and building a community.
At CRB Cunninghams, we are proud to be the premier supplier of cashless software, hardware, and services to education establishments across the UK. This milestone is a testament to the teamwork, creativity and leadership shown by each member of CRB Cunninghams and our team, known for our reliability and high level of service since our beginnings in 1966. It proudly represents our colleagues, our values, our company and most importantly, our customers.
Our commitment to our customers reflects in our production of reliable and innovative products. Thanks to the knowledge gained over five decades of experience working with Caterers, Councils, MATs, LAs, Schools, and Colleges, our integrated solutions help schools benefit from contactless solutions, reduced school debt, and increased efficiencies.
Those who already know us know CRB Cunningham's dedication to supporting the education catering sector and never forgets its roots. It's throughout our 55-year journey that you - friends and customers - have been an essential part. Ultimately, you are part of our team.
55 years together, thank you
The evolution of cashless catering: significant milestones from the last 55 years
Over 3,200 cashless customers across the UK
Since the mid-1990s, CRB Cunninghams have been the UK Market Leader in the supply of cashless payment systems and a leading provider of online payments, identity management and electronic registration solutions to schools across the country. Our clients range from single, independent schools to entire local authority rollouts, large multi-academy trusts, contract caterers, IT Service providers and facilities management companies.
Forming CRB Cunninghams
Cash Registers Buccleuch Ltd (CRB) was formed 55 years ago in Edinburgh, followed in 1975 by Cunninghams Cash Registers Ltd (Cunninghams), located in Birmingham. The two companies independently flourished whilst collaborating on the cashless payment system. Jonas Software acquired both companies, bringing together the expertise, resources, and capabilities to create CRB Cunninghams.
We implemented the first cashless catering system in 1995 in Scotland
Our signature cashless catering product 'IMPACT' was developed in 1995 to help anonymise free school meals whilst speeding up service by removing cash from the point of sale. Shortly afterwards, the first installation took place at St. Margaret's Academy in West Lothian.
Students used physical cards to top up before mealtimes, reducing queues dramatically. Free meal entitlements were automatically pre-loaded, removing the stigma often seen in schools. The product proved so successful that hundreds of schools shortly followed suit.
Customer-oriented solutions
We formed the first user group in 2005 to provide a forum for customers to help shape the future development of both our software and hardware systems. This close relationship with our users ensures that our systems are continually enhanced to exceed client needs in an ever-changing marketplace. Our customers' support provides the ability to benchmark and analyse nutritional standards, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and improve school meal uptake throughout the country.
Pre-ordering was first developed to support a 'Grab & Go' style catering service
To encourage secondary school pupils to opt for a healthy school meal over junk food outlets, we introduced the ability to pre-order a meal then 'grab &go' quickly, which also benefits those pupils attending lunchtime clubs & activities. To facilitate this, we introduced touchscreen kiosks placed throughout schools with meal collection points, both inside the building and in strategic locations in the playground.
While focusing on the core cashless catering market, our product mix has evolved to incorporate online payments as schools look to eradicate cash on-premises. iPayimpact allows parents to make payments directly to the school, view and manage their online account and reduce processing time for school administrative staff.
Primary school pupils' parents can also make meal choices for several weeks in advance. Alternatively, pupils themselves can use classroom whiteboards to make daily meal choices whilst also registering their attendance.
Making caterers' jobs easier with one integrated package
The recently released 'Fusion' product is the ideal modern-day package for schools - cashless catering software, online payments functionality and enhanced reporting and allows schools to centralise their software requirements. Other products include contactless recognition, electronic registration and pre-order processing. No longer restricted to the dining hall, every school stakeholder can benefit from CRB Cunningham's software solutions.
And we're not finished!
Schools closures due to COVID-19 saw the education catering sector adapt to many new challenges. CRB Cunninghams introduced the pre-order app and other new contactless technologies to help our customers adjust their catering service to support social distancing guidelines. But we won't stop here.
Cashless catering is not the same as 55 years ago, and it won't be the same in another 55 years. With your help, CRB Cunninghams will continue to innovate to ensure our cashless solutions meet the ever-changing needs of your education establishment.
