Levy-KERB to whip up gourmet meals for fans

Article posted by Coliseum, November 24^th, 2020

Image: MJR Group Ltd./Coliseum

To offer gourmet food to fans, Levy has teamed up with street food vendors KERB. Levy is a hospitality company which provides catering services to conferences and sports venues/events including the Championships at Wimbledon.

Levy is the sports, leisure and hospitality arm of Compass Group UK and Ireland. It is a catering partner of the O2 Arena (London), SSE Wembley (arena in Wembley, England), ExCeL London (exhibition center in London), and Chelsea FC (English professional football club). Its hospitality services are also availed by the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (North London), Twickenham (stadium in Twickenham, England), Principality Stadium (stadium in Cardiff, Wales in UK) and Edgbaston (cricket ground in Birmingham, England).

Levy said the deal marks a first for the industry. The partnership will form part of a wider collaboration with Compass Group to develop and deliver new hospitality and retail services at Levy-operated events and venues.

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Street food specialist KERB runs six street food markets across London, including its flagship indoor spot in Seven Dial’s Market. Seven Dials Market brings together a progressive line-up of independent food businesses, all with roots in the City’s streets and markets, and all under one roof.

KERB comprises 240 street food traders in the UK capital, and is aiming to expand its footprint across the UK in Levy’s venues. The company also caters to over 250 events a year.

Stated Jon Davies, Managing Director, Levy UK, “Our commitment to innovation at Levy is unwavering and when it comes to street food, one of today’s key taste trends, KERB is completely unrivaled in its passion, expertise and experience.”

“It is exciting to support KERB’s ambition to grow its footprint into other cities in the UK via our network of venues across the country. By working directly with the best in the business, we can help our clients to move with even greater speed in accessing our nation’s best new food talent and continue to provide the broadest and boldest choices that best reflect the rapidly changing tastes and expectations of customers,” Davies added.

Simon Mitchell, CEO, KERB, informed, “From our roots as a small group of like-minded street food traders in King’s Cross, KERB’s mission has always centered on providing our members with the best possible platforms to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams. Our partnership with Levy is the start of an ambitious new chapter, which will allow us to expand from our London heartlands and apply our deep expertise in creating dynamic retail markets and delivering unforgettable food experiences to spectators, members and delegates at Levy’s venues across the UK.”

Added Mitchell, “Whether it’s award-winning Venezuelan stuffed arepas, Cajun crawfish balls or Korean fried chicken, KERB and its food entrepreneurs, together with the industry leader Levy, will be setting a new standard in taste, choice, creativity and sustainability.”

The partnership will also see a curated mix of KERB’s street food society delivered to some of Levy’s venues, with fans and guests able to relish new menus and mouth-watering dishes in 2021.

KERB was founded by Petra Barran in 2012 with the aim of lending a professional touch to the street food industry. The company has since grown into the UK’s largest community of street food entrepreneurs, with over 240 traders having launched through its inKERBator and accelerator programs.

As Davies put in, “Petra, Simon and their team have created a highly agile and experienced retail and operations team that share our commitment to the highest professional standards and always delivering an exceptional consumer experience.”

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