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Olympics caterers to offer 'best of British'
7 Dec 2009Food and drink at the London 2012 Olympics will be British "wherever possible" organisers pledged today as they unveiled plans aimed at transforming catering standards at sports events.
Restaurateurs and environmentalists reacted angrily after learning that McDonald's, like Coca-Cola and Cadbury as worldwide sponsors in a multibillion deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will sell the only branded products at 2012 venues.
London 2012's food vision announced today confirms that 20% of products will be supplied by these sponsors but that a wide choice of food will be available.
Over 14 million meals will be served during the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics across 40 locations.
London 2012 will be striving for the best of British to be on offer through a food charter in which events, catering and hospitality organisations should sign up to backing local, seasonal, healthier and sustainable food standards, a spokesman said.
They will also be setting benchmark standards for how food is to be sourced with what they have billed as "the most challenging ever set by a summer Games".
Catering staff will also get extra training to try to boost standards and ensure uniform standards of service, food safety and hygiene at all Games venues.
London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said: "We want to ensure everyone at the Games has a fantastic experience and key to that is the food and drink that's available - we want it to be affordable, sustainable and celebrating the fantastic diversity and quality of what Britain has to offer.
"We also want to ensure that there is a great legacy for the catering industry in this country, ensuring it is even better equipped to provide quality, sustainable food and drink for events both large and small.
"Over the next year we will work with our partners and the catering industry to deliver a solution that works in 2012 itself and for years to come."
The charter is to be launched in 2010.
Reader views (4)
Too bad the Olympic vision and associated corporate sponsors means 2012 will primarily showcase American food brands. The UK has some of the best restaurants and chefs in the world: Heston, Jamie, et al. The UK has a more immediate opportunity to showcase its food over a 6 month period at the UK pavilion at the Shanghai Expo in 2010. Turns out this is a missed opportunity on the world stage: the UK will only serve Costa coffee. It may be a British company but it will look pathetic compared to its neighbour, the Italian pavilion. The UK has 2 years to get its Olympics food arrangements right. Use the time wisely to promote British food.
- Tom, london, 19/12/2009 14:45
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There's that word again 'Legacy' “I’ll have a legacy & chips please….”
“Will that be the regular hard to swallow or for an extra 30p the extremely hard to swallow large…”
Sod the expense, make it a mega, Cheers Seb…
- Murph In Kent, UK, 08/12/2009 16:46
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Yum! Stodge with chips and a serving of lumpy custard.
- Ed, London, 08/12/2009 12:39
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Will be British? Yeah, right oh.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 07/12/2009 13:45
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