Leading sports and leisure caterer, Levy UK, has launched the first fully vegan kiosk in the English Premier League in partnership with Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge. The new initiative will introduce a range of tasty plant-based alternatives for football fans on match days and will include a Vegan Kitchen Pizza, Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Doner Kebab and a Halloumi and Falafel Wrap.
Rolling out in line with Veganuary, football fans will be able to receive a culinary experience like no other. The initiative is underpinned by the Levy Cares principles, which underline the importance of providing sustainable – but delicious - options on match days. As part of their four-year contract extension, both Levy UK and Chelsea FC have committed to provide more plant-based dishes, modelled against the EAT Lancet ‘ideal plate’ for planetary and personal health, whilst also looking specifically at the carbon impact of the animal products used on site.
Levy is Chelsea FC’s official catering partner responsible for the catering across the Chelsea Football Club venues, including Stamford Bridge stadium, Frankie’s Sports Bar & Grill, Chelsea FC’s training facility in Surrey, Under the Bridge and the Chelsea Health Club & Spa. Levy provides innovative and sustainable match day food and drink for home and away fans, while also championing the hospitality offerings for the premium seat market. Working in partnership with the players’ nutritionists and performance coaches, Levy also designs bespoke menus for the squad at their training ground.
Under Levy Cares, Levy UK has committed to deliver a 50% reduction in beef consumption, cut 30% of sugars out of menus and through culinary innovation and ingredient re-purposing will reduce food waste by 20% by the end of 2020.
In addition, the vegan kiosk avoids single use plastics throughout, in line with Chelsea FC’s own strong environmental. Through Levy UK’s reduce, re-use and review policy, the company committed to reduce plastic waste and has launched a re-usable cup initiative across all its venues. Fans, media and guests are encouraged use reusable cups and once finished, place them in designated drop-off points around stadium concourses or return them to any bar.
Jon Davies, Managing Director at Levy UK, said:
“There’s a demand for football stadiums to follow consumer demand for more sustainable, responsible and diverse food and drink options. Adopting a reductionist approach where possible will allow us to provide great-tasting, plant-based food as well as combatting food waste and reducing our impact on the environment. The launch of the vegan kiosk with Chelsea FC is testament to both parties commitment to tackle issues surrounding more sustainable menu options.”
Simon Hunter, Head of Venue and Development at Chelsea FC said:
“We are pleased to be offering sports fans plant-based alternatives at our venue. Reducing our environmental impact as well as offering fans plant-based options where we can is something we’re very committed to and the launch of the vegan kiosk with Levy UK is a further positive step in doing so. Chelsea FC takes pride in its forward-thinking and innovative approach within the sports sector as to how we can improve the fan experience. The vegan kiosk is part of our mission to innovate, by creating something unique for fans that tastes great.”
Levy UK feeds an estimated 1.15 million sports fans annually, delivers catering across 43 public catering outlets, 58 boxes and suites on match days and holds over 1,000 corporate and private events at Stamford Bridge each year.