Aston Villa-Levy to serve up haute cuisine

Article posted by Coliseum, March 28^th, 2025

Image: Levy UK and Ireland

The Premier League team Aston Villa F.C. (UK) has announced a 10-year extension of its longstanding partnership with Levy UK + Ireland (Levy), the sports and entertainment arm of food services business Compass Group UK & Ireland.

‘Levy’ stated that the above extension builds on collaboration between the Aston Villa and Levy who most recently partnered on the highly successful redevelopment of Villa Park’s hospitality spaces last Summer.

The Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England (UK). The club founded in 1874 compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. The team have played at their home ground – the Villa Park – since 1897.

The Villa Park is a football stadium in Aston, Birmingham (UK) with a seating capacity of 42,785. It has been the home of the Premier League club Aston Villa F.C. since 1897.

Birmingham (UK)-based Levy UK + Ireland is a leading sports and entertainment catering company and is a part of the Compass Group PLC known for its innovative technology and flavors at the venues and the events focusing on seasonal British produce and sustainability.

The Compass Group PLC is a British multinational contract foodservice company headquartered in Chertsey, England (UK). It is the largest contract foodservice company in Europe ahead of Sodexo employing over 500,000 people. It provides food and support services to a wide range of clients including businesses, healthcare facilities, schools, and sports venues operating in around 30 countries.

The Compass Group UK & Ireland is a market-leading provider of catering, hospitality and business support services serving a wide range of clients and sectors across England, Scotland, Wales (UK), and Ireland.

‘Levy’ further stated that in the span of a tight five-month timeline the Aston Villa and Levy transformed 14 pre-existing hospitality areas and created three brand-new spaces at the Villa Park. The redevelopment also expanded the stadium’s premium seating options with an additional 1,300 seats designated as either General Admission Plus or Premium. Central to the redesign was a food-led redevelopment strategy which included the renovation of the kitchen facilities and the introduction of new menus designed to elevate the matchday experience. The partnership also includes Aston Villa’s state-of-the-art training ground – the Bodymoor Heath – where nutrition and performance chefs feed players from the Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams.

At the heart of the collaboration is a commitment to excellent fan experience. Levy has brought a range of new technologies to the Villa Park including self-order units, frictionless kiosks and self-pour options all designed to enhance the speed of service and reduce dwell times. Moreover, with this extended partnership the Aston Villa now offers a wider range of hospitality services that cater to all price points setting a new benchmark not only within the Premier League but across the entire sporting world.

Commented Chris Heck, President of Aston Villa, “We are only as good as the company we keep and we want best-in-class partnerships. Our collaboration with Levy is exactly that – a true partnership with the best in the hospitality space. We’re incredibly proud of what we achieved together in such a short time frame last Summer and are excited to see what we can accomplish over the years to come. Innovation and improvements will continue across the Villa Park to cement our status as a world-class venue.”

Sustainability has also been a key focus of Levy and Aston Villa’s ongoing partnership. Levy’s exclusive partnership with sustainable packaging innovators, Notpla, has seen seaweed-based, biodegradable food packaging used across Villa Park. The partnership has also prioritized sustainable and locally sourced food options and vendors.

Added Jon Davies, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Levy UK + Ireland, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the Aston Villa and continue our journey towards a more sustainable future. This collaboration allows us to showcase our dedication to innovation in food, technology and sustainable practices all while delivering exceptional experiences for the Villa fan base.”

Levy, through its partnership with the street food pioneers KERB, has curated a lineup of exemplary local independent vendors for the Villa Park. The venue offers menus from some of Birmingham’s leading street food vendors including the award-winning Digbeth-based Pietanics and the Flying Cow (previous winner of Britain’s Best Street Food Burger) as well as bolder European flavors as served up by Street Souvlaki (a popular Greek street food) and the Currywurst (a popular German fast food dish). This focus on the local talent and produce reflects Aston Villa’s commitment to stimulating growth in the West Midlands and supporting the local business.

The continued collaboration between Aston Villa and Levy will undoubtedly shape the future of the fan experience combining world-class hospitality with a commitment to innovation, sustainability and community.

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