The Olympics is routinely associated with international brands and corporate sponsorship, and the major food brands McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Cadbury will also have a strong presence at London 2012, particularly in the Olympic park itself.
However, the Olympics also needs to be an opportunity for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from diverse backgrounds to flourish. This is especially important for enterprises in the Host Boroughs - the London Boroughs of:Engaging SMEs is a significant opportunity for an important regeneration legacy, leading to more robust and well-trained local businesses able to ‘raise their game’ and compete for better contracts in future. There are also significant opportunities to engage with SME farmers, food processors, distributors, catering companies, trainers and others in providing ingredients, packaging, waste management and other food-related goods and services for the Games.
Our experience tells us that this deserves special attention, so:
- Requirements need to be built into all catering contracts for larger companies to demonstrate how they will engage with diverse SMEs, particularly in the Host Boroughs.
- Support services are needed to help SMEs with (for example):
- training and information on issues such as food safety; Olympic requirements; food sustainability; energy and fuel efficiency; and tendering
- reduced-cost collaborative accreditation programmes, e.g. Safe and Local Supplier Approval (Salsa), MSC Chain of Custody for sustainable fish and LEAF-Marque
- brokerage, to link farmers with smaller processors, processors with caterers, strategycompliant packaging companies with manufacturers, etc.
- Good communications are needed for SMEs to identify food opportunities; understand key sustainability issues; and participate in match-making with larger service providers
In the lead-up to 2012, tenders and contracts for catering and related services for the London 2012 Games are being published on the CompeteFor website: https://www.competefor.com/business/login.jsp. We recommend that any caterers or catering equipment suppliers interested in winning contracts for the Games should register their details on CompeteFor. However, experience shows that this is not necessarily the best place for farmers, food producers and food distributors to find suitable opportunities. In 2011, London Food Link (see below) is discussing with the London 2012 organisers the possiiblity of running a match-making service to help SME food businesses, and those meeting sustainability criteria, to access trading opportunities at London 2012 and in surrounding events and venues. Get in touch with London Food Link to find out more. These pages will also be updated with further information as it becomes available.
As funding allows, Sustain’s London Food Link project will try to support sustainable food SMEs, particularly in the lead-up to the London 2012 Games. To participate:
- Join London Food Link and receive regular e-forum news updates on London food issues, including Olympic food
- For people who run cafes or restaurants in the London area, join the Ethical Eats network
- For farmers and food suppliers interested in large-scale contracts with the public sector in the London area, sign up to the free Nuggets newsletter (public procurement round-up)
- For farmers in the South East region, sign up to the free Farming e-bulletin, email: jeanette@sustainweb.org
- For producers of high quality and artisan bread, join the Real Bread Campaign
Return to Sustain's Olympic Food home page
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