How Stadium And Hospitality Managers Can Promote A Plant‑Forward Approach All Year Round

By Jon Davies, Managing Director, Levy UK + Ireland.

In light of the ambitious pledges made at the COP26 climate conference, it is essential for businesses to make renewed and meaningful commitments to ethical and sustainable values in order to protect the planet. Here, Jon Davies, Managing Director of sports catering provider Levy UK+ Ireland, discusses how the events management industry can promote and embody the principles of Veganuary on a year‑round basis.

The Growing Influence Of Veganuary

The popularity of Veganuary continues to increase year on year, with 2022 seeing record numbers of companies incorporating plant-based options and initiatives into their menus and wider ethos. The successful crossover of vegetarianism and veganism into mainstream dining reflects consumers’ growing demand for a diverse range of sustainable options, based on the principles of free, personal choice and responsible consumption. As we all take steps to protect the planet, the events management industry has an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate that stadiums and events can operate within the remit of good environmental practice.

While Veganuary is closely associated with the first month of the year, it would be a mistake to limit sustainability commitments to January alone. It is imperative for the industry to keep pace with the growing salience of Veganuary and recognise it as an entire movement in its own right. Stadium and facilities managers must go beyond making one or two meat-free options available at venues, and provide customers with a diverse range of delicious, carbon‑friendly dishes. Most crucially, managers should be inspired by the passion and determination to safeguard the environment and enact it all year round. The industry must move forward and implement proactive solutions to the issues that Veganuary raises, rather than limit action to the first thirty‑one days of the year.

Supplying Sustainably

Reassessing manufacturing and supply chain processes is essential for the creation of more cohesive and sustainable long‑term food strategies. By taking a greater stake in the food production process and working more closely with manufacturers and suppliers, managers can help to build strategies that consider the wider context of seasonality and local provenance. In practice, menus will likely need to be consolidated around more locally‑sourced produce that hasn’t been transported thousands of miles from farm to fork. By partnering with caterers that utilise fresh, seasonal, British-grown produce, managers can ensure that a variety of plant-forward dishes are available across their venues. As the market leader, we know that the industry has a clear responsibility to continue to decrease its carbon impact, which is why Levy UK+I has committed to a 50% reduction in beef consumption for 2022, with menus to use a minimum of 80% British seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Implementing Change

Inclusivity and compromise are key principles when it comes to encouraging as many customers as possible to make more eco-friendly food choices. With 25% of our menus consisting of vegetarian, vegan or plant-based options, Levy UK+I is leading by example. These dishes sit alongside more traditional choices with a reduced meat content, such as our Katsu Chicken Burger. Embodying the idea of reductionism, the burger only uses three to four ounces of chicken, instead of the usual six to seven ounces. Our chefs have enhanced the burger by replacing the chicken with locally-sourced vegetables and a flavour-packed onion bhaji. This has resulted in plant-filled burger that allows our customers to make a positive impact on the environment, without compromising on flavour.

As the industry continues to pursue a more sustainable future, Veganuary presents the ideal opportunity for stadium and facilities managers to put eco-friendly food policies at the forefront of the agenda for 2022 and beyond. To affect meaningful and lasting change, managers should invest in the ethical and sustainable principles of Veganuary – a valuable and viable cause which should be promoted on a year-round basis.