STADIUM FOODSERVICE COVER STORY
SPOTLIGHT ON SUSTAINABILITY
into every single unit, so we do a lot of work with ventless for different venues.”
FROM DEAD SPACES TO POCKETS OF REVENUE
And ventless technology is making much of this innovation possible. Traditionally, stadium operators have been limited as to where they can place their kitchens and cooking stations. Vertical, soaring ceilings, often three to four stories tall mean that setting up traditional ventilation systems is expensive anywhere except the perimeter of venues, where smoke, grease, and odors can be exhausted out of the walls. Te typical set-up is a commissary kitchen in the bowels of the stadium, with cooked food being brought up and held before serving. But new technology in the form of the
ventless action stations developed by Evo, a division of Middleby, has begun to change the game, in the US at least. Tese easy- to-install set-ups use an ozone filtration system to remove fats, oils and grease from the airstream while also removing cooking odors. Tey can be set up anywhere in an arena with an electrical outlet and plumbing. “Tis technology can help operators meet the demand for wider menu opportunities and higher food quality, and also give operators the chance to create
pockets of revenues in areas that used to be dead spaces,” Heim explains. “You can place these stations by the escalator going up to corporate suites or right across from the bathroom, where fans naturally go during the break. It’s all about making it really easy for the fan to get back to their seat – but with food and beverage – and increasing the ROI of the space you’ve got available.” Tey are quick and affordable to
construct, install and move. “Tink of all the costs associated with installing Type 1 hoods, metal flashing, support iron and compressors on the roof. Every vertical story adds £12k to £16k in Type hood flashing costs alone,” Heim explains. “And if personnel realize that the installation might be better placed elsewhere, the ventless portfolio is portable.” Middleby has installed ventless cooking
stations at over 70 arenas across the US and sees enormous opportunities in Europe and the Middle East. “Why would you hide one of the stars of the show ‒ the food ‒ in the bowels of the stadium when you can cook right in front of the fans and give them the sights, sounds, sizzle and aromas that add to that experience?” Heim says.
HIGHER QUALITY, MORE POS For Sedej, ventless cooking stations are an important innovation helping her arena
Strong and visible sustainability practices are becoming a must for any sporting event or foodservice stadia operator. This year, UEFA launched its healthy and sustainability guidelines for hospitality operations and concessionaires at large sporting events, including the Euros, while the Food Vision for Paris 2024 is underpinned by six key climate commitments designed to slash the carbon footprint of previous games in half. On a smaller scale, stadium foodservice operators are introducing more plant-based options and committing to reducing single-use plastics, sourcing food more sustainably and specifying more energy-efficient equipment.
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Something for everyone: a diverse offering of quality food outlets is crucial in a modern stadium
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The Oak View Group (OVG) has gone further with the launch of the world’s first net zero stadium, the Climate Pledge Arena, eliminating fossil fuels from all planned arena operations and making the venue one of the only arenas in the world to be 100% electric. They installed solar panels on site and are offsetting the remainder of the energy use. Tracking 100% of carbon emissions from the arena’s operations, they offset emissions and partner with public transit agencies to provide free rides to for fans and employees for every event. Oak View Group has also eliminated fan-facing single-use plastics at the venue and applied to be a certified Zero Waste Facility. Plus, OVG’s catering partners at Delaware North are sourcing more than 60% of their food ingredients from within 300 miles.
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