Levy UK + Ireland, the sports and entertainment arm of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has continued its long-standing partnership with the home of world-leading events, ExCeL. Shared sustainability, technology and service ambitions were key to the retention.
Levy UK+I has been the catering partner at ExCeL since 2000 and is responsible for putting food and drink at the heart of events, delivering catering for conferences, events, hospitality, and retail sales. The continued relationship is testament to the clear food and beverage strategies which have been developed together and delivered by a dedicated team.
Both businesses are committed to being environmental leaders within their field and are steadfast in their desire to make a difference to the planet. In July 2022, ExCeL was the first UK venue of its kind to be awarded certification to PAS 2060, the only internationally recognised standard for carbon neutrality.
Perfectly paired with Levy’s impressive 2027 Climate Net Zero intentions which include: non-air-freight fruit and vegetables, a focus on seasonally sourced menus, consumer facing carbon labelling, sustainably focused suppliers, and a host of waste management tools.
With around four million visitors passing through London’s largest events venue every year, Levy UK+I will provide technology innovations designed to improve the visitor experience and speed up service times. Further announcements will be made in the spring.
The contract extension will also see the development of four Levy UK+I apprentices at ExCeL. Both businesses share a mutual appreciation of apprenticeship programmes which gives employees a clear career path and opportunity to shine at the UK’s leading exhibition centre.
Jon Davies, MD, Levy UK + Ireland, commented, “Levy UK + Ireland is delighted to continue this journey with ExCeL, one of our longest standing clients. We have achieved a huge amount over the past 22 years, but there is more work to do and as a business we thrive on keeping pace with the continually changing environmental landscape.
“In ExCeL we have found a strong partner who shares our ambitious sustainability goals and targets. We are looking forward to pushing the boundaries and showcasing what can be done through a united approach to net zero aspirations and technological advancements.”
Simon Mills, ExCeL’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “Food is an essential part of any event experience, and often the element guests will remember the most.
'We have seen a notable shift in consumer trends with visitors now expecting a diverse range of exciting, tasty, high-quality, contemporary, and sustainably sourced food and beverage offerings and through our partnership with Levy UK + Ireland that’s exactly what they get when visiting ExCeL.”