Catering Companies Prepare for World’s Largest Climate-Football Campaign

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02 February 2024

A national campaign will see more than 85 of the UK’s top football clubs promote plant-based burgers, pies and hotdogs.

Between 2-5 February, the whole of the Premier League will encourage their fans to make more sustainable food choices, by choosing a veggie option at football grounds.

The UK’s three biggest club caterers, Delaware North, Levy, and Sodexo Live! have collaborated to support Green Football Weekend, in partnership with the EFL, WSL, the PFA and the FA.

"Football has the unbelievable power to unite everyone - clubs, players, and fans from across the community with a common goal to take action. Trying a healthy veggie option over Green Football Weekend is a simple step towards a healthier lifestyle and a healthier planet.“

–Gary Lineker

Football Pundit

Carbon Cost of Choosing Beef Burgers

It comes as new research by the University of Leeds shows that 4,622,998kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be saved if everybody eating a beef burger in the UK over Green Football Weekend chose a veggie burger instead. This is the equivalent of taking 2,609 cars off the road for a full year. 

Sodexo Live! and The Devil's Kitchen will serve a shiitake mushroom burger at four of its football club client sites - Blackburn Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton FC and Preston North End. This meal produces only 0.5kg of CO2e compared to the average CO2e per meal in the UK, which stands at 1.6kg.

Fans at home can also get involved by cooking a dish from the free, online Green Football Weekend Veggie Cookbook, where more than 70 celebrities have shared their favourite veggie recipes. 

Football pundit Gary Lineker is a Green Football Weekend Ambassador and said: “I am proud to support Green Football Weekend to mobilise millions of fans and over 80 clubs to protect what we love. Football has the unbelievable power to unite everyone - clubs, players, and fans from across the community with a common goal to take action. Trying a healthy veggie option over Green Football Weekend is a simple step towards a healthier lifestyle and a healthier planet.“

Neil Richards, Director of Culinary, Delaware North, catering suppliers added: "In the spirit of a greener goalpost, Delaware North is proudly supporting Green Football Weekend, championing sustainable choices on and off the field. In alignment with our commitment to environmental stewardship, we’re excited to highlight our vegan and vegetarian options throughout our stadia and the sports community as a great alternative to meat without compromising on quality and taste.  

“Over a third of our hospitality offering each matchday is veggie or vegan and we're now working with a consolidated supplier, meaning most of our products are delivered on one vehicle, saving thousands of delivery miles every year.”

Picture: a photograph of the new shiitake mushroom burger, with a basket of fries and a small bowl of salad, photographed on a plate which has been placed on a football pitch. Image Credit: Sodexo

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 02 February 2024

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