Levy UK + Ireland, the sports and entertainment division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, adds Swansea City A.F.C. back into its Welsh stadia portfolio, joining Cardiff City Stadium and the Principality Stadium. Regional sourcing and sustainability credentials were fundamental to the long-term contract.
The stadia specialists previously worked with Swansea City when the stadium was opened in 2005, and will provide matchday experiences, plus conference and events catering. Levy UK+I will work closely with Compass Cymru MD, Jane Byrd, who oversees all Levy sites based in Wales – the Swansea City business will report directly into Jane and her team.
Working with Compass Cymru brings huge benefits when it comes to partnering with trusted suppliers. The business is committed to regional sourcing in Wales and works with consortiums which gives them access to a vast network of local suppliers from fruit and vegetables to meat.
Swansea City was impressed with the Climate Net Zero targets Levy UK+I have in place, and this was crucial when looking for a new partner. Increasing plant-based menu options, reducing single-use plastics and food waste are all priorities for the club going forward.
Enhancing the fan experience through speed of service will be a priority in the summer break. Supporters will be able to order and pay for pre-match and half-time refreshments in one transaction through self-order units, minimising queue times. This will be in place for the start of the 2023/24 season.
Jane Byrd, Managing Director, Compass Cymru, remarked, “It’s brilliant to have Swansea City back in our portfolio, cementing our stadia business in Wales. We love partnering with like-minded businesses and we know how important it was for Swansea City to work with a partner who has serious Net Zero ambitions.
“Bringing together our green credentials and commitment to providing quality Welsh produce is an exciting prospect and we couldn’t be happier to be working together again. Through our catering partnership with Swansea University, we have some established relationships which will work well with the Swansea City fanbase.”
Swansea City Chief Executive, Julian Winter, commented, “We’re delighted to be back in the Levy UK+I fold and pleased to be benefitting from the regional expertise that comes with Compass Cymru, they are not only specialists in stadia catering, but catering in Wales.
“Finding a partner committed to working towards a greener future is very important to us at Swansea City. We continue to make progress in our desire to operate in a more environmentally friendly manner, whilst striving to deliver the best possible produce and service for our supporters. We look forward to reaching our goals on all these fronts through this long-term partnership with market-leaders Levy UK + Ireland.”