How The Food Made Good Standard Supports Football Clubs

In this article, Food Made Good-certified football clubs share the challenges that are unique to this type of operation and how the Standard is supporting them in tackling their environmental and social impact, meeting guest expectations and building stronger businesses.

What are the biggest sustainability challenges for football clubs?

“One of the biggest challenges is balancing sustainability ambitions with the realities of operating at scale,” says Rishi Jain, Director of Impact at Liverpool FC. “Our foodservice operations must meet the needs of tens of thousands of supporters, hospitality guests, staff and players, mostly concentrated around matchdays.”

Their needs are incredibly diverse. “Supporters have different expectations and match day habits around food, from quick bites to a premium hospitality experience. The challenge is finding ways to make foodservice more sustainable while continuing to deliver the quality and experience people expect from a matchday at Anfield,” Rishi explains. “There is also the unique performance dimension: alongside serving supporters, we are responsible for providing food that supports the nutritional requirements of our elite athletes. Embedding sustainability considerations into those decisions whilst ensuring the highest standards of performance nutrition adds another layer of complexity.”

Meanwhile, at Southampton FC’s The Dell, General Manager Jasmine Abbey says one of the biggest challenges is balancing sustainability with the practical demands of running a busy hospitality operation. “To maintain quality, service levels and customer expectations while also looking at energy use, waste, water, packaging, food sourcing and the wider environmental impact is no easy job.”

Getting this right requires coordination across a large number of stakeholders and suppliers. “Sustainability isn't something one department can deliver on its own; it requires estates, hospitality, procurement, operations, catering, cleaning and suppliers to work together,” she says. “A stadium can go from relatively quiet to serving thousands of people within a few hours, with significant peaks in demand on matchdays and events. Getting staff, stock and food quantities right can therefore be difficult, particularly when you are trying to reduce food waste."

Of course, as for most of the hospitality sector, costs can also be a barrier. “Some sustainable options require an initial investment, whether that is more efficient equipment, waste management systems or changes to how food is sourced and prepared. The challenge is demonstrating that sustainability is not simply an additional cost, but something that can deliver longer-term savings and operational benefits,” says Jasmine. “For me, this means making sustainability part of normal operational decision-making rather than treating it as a separate initiative.”

Why F&B matters in football

“Food presents a significant opportunity because it touches so many different parts of a football club,” says Rishi. “It connects with our players, colleagues, supporters, local communities and suppliers, making it an area where even small changes can make a meaningful impact.” For example, Liverpool FC has already seen strong supporter engagement with their matchday recycling initiatives, accumulating in more than one million plastic bottles recycled by the 2024-2025 season. “We believe food offers a natural next step to build on that momentum,” he says. “Food is an important focus area within The Red Way because it provides opportunities to make progress across multiple sustainability priorities, from responsible sourcing and waste reduction through to engagement and education.”

The sheer scale of operations means football clubs have a significant opportunity to have a big impact through every positive change they make. “Food waste is an obvious area. Better forecasting, stock management, portion control, redistribution of surplus food and working closely with suppliers can all make a significant difference,” says Jasmine. “There are also opportunities around reducing single-use packaging, increasing reusable or recyclable options and looking at where food is sourced from.”

Using their influence

Because they interact with enormous numbers of people, clubs also have an opportunity to educate and influence their supporters. “A football club has a very visible platform, and small changes that are made across a stadium can be seen by thousands of people. That can help make sustainable choices feel normal rather than something that is difficult or inconvenient,” says Jasmine. “I do think football clubs have a responsibility to lead. They have a particularly strong connection with their communities and supporters, and their influence goes well beyond what happens on the pitch. If clubs can demonstrate that sustainable foodservice can be delivered at scale without compromising the customer experience, it can encourage supporters, suppliers and other organisations to follow.

The key is making the sustainable option the easy option while maintaining the quality and value that supporters expect.”

“Football has a unique platform and reach,” Rishi agrees. “While sustainable food systems require action across society, we recognise that we play a positive role by demonstrating what is possible within our operations. Through The Red Way, we are committed to using our platform responsibly and embedding sustainability into the way we function, including the way we source, produce and serve food. We have our own allotment, just a short distance from the stadium. The harvest makes its way into our kitchens for colleagues and players, as well as supporting community pantries and foodbanks throughout the year. Last season, first-team men’s player Milos Kerkez visited the allotment, joining LFC Foundation participants to help harvest fruit and vegetables from the site.”

How Food Made Good supports football clubs

So how does a framework like Food Made Good support football clubs on their sustainability journeys?

1. IDENTIFYING NEXT STEPS

Liverpool FC was the first football club to seek Food Made Good certification, completing their first Standard in early 2026. “The decision to undertake the Food Made Good Standard was closely aligned with our ambitions through The Red Way. As we looked at where we could drive further progress, food emerged as an area where we could create positive impact across many parts of the club, from staff and players to supporters and our supply chain,” Rishi shares. “Because operations are managed in-house, we are able to work closely with colleagues and suppliers to embed sustainability considerations into decisions across the operation and drive meaningful change.”

Rishi says that the process has provided a valuable framework for assessing Liverpool’s approach and identifying opportunities to go further. “One of the most positive outcomes was seeing how much good work was already taking place across different areas of the club. The assessment helped bring that work together, providing a clearer picture of where we were making progress and where further action could have the greatest impact,” he says. “The process also strengthened conversations with suppliers and helped shape the next phase of our journey. Importantly, it has not been a one-off exercise. The insights from the Food Made Good Standard continue to inform our plans and priorities, including the development of our food charter and wider improvement plans as we work to deliver continuous progress through The Red Way.”

2. PROVIDING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

Later in 2026, Southampton and Leicester City both completed the Standard as part of Oak View Group’s wider sustainability commitments. “While seeking Food Made Good certification was a requirement by Oak View Group, the process has helped me to have a better understanding of sustainability and expanded my knowledge in multiple areas and highlighted for us what avenues need improvement,” Jasmine shares. 

“I found the assessment process enlightening. I learnt a lot along the way, not only about sustainability within catering, but also about our site at Leicester City,” adds Tess Price, Sous Chef at Leicester City. “I've met and spoken to people within our stadium whom I did not know before and learnt about their roles. I've come to realise there are small, easy changes we can make (as well as big ones!) to improve our sustainability within the hospitality side of things, from buying British beans and pulses to using some organic ingredients where possible.” 

3. BUILDING STRONGER BUSINESSES

Ultimately, paying attention to sustainability helps businesses to build resilience for the longer term — something we see across our global network, in foodservice operations of all shapes and sizes. Football clubs have turned out no exception. “Sustainability can make a business stronger when it is approached as an operational priority rather than simply a PR exercise,” says Jasmine. “There are obvious environmental benefits, but there can also be commercial benefits. Reducing food waste, energy consumption, water use and unnecessary packaging can all reduce operating costs. Better planning and stock control can improve efficiency. Working with suppliers who share the same objectives can encourage innovation and create more resilient supply chains.”

“For Liverpool FC, sustainability is not a standalone initiative. It is embedded within The Red Way and forms part of how we think about the long-term success of the club,” says Rishi. “We’ve worked hard to establish a leadership position within our sector and beyond. The Red Way is driven from the very top of the organisation, accompanied by senior leadership support. Having a clear sustainability strategy enables us to take a more joined-up approach across our operations, bringing together colleagues, partners and suppliers around shared goals. It also creates opportunities to improve processes, reduce waste and identify practical ways to create positive impact,” he continues. “Initiatives such as the Food Made Good Standard show how sustainability can be integrated into everyday decision-making. They provide valuable insight, support continuous improvement and help ensure that our ambitions are translated into meaningful action.”

4. BOOSTING REPUTATION

As Jasmine observes, using a robust, credible framework to support and communicate your sustainability work also brings a real reputational benefit. “Supporters increasingly expect football clubs to demonstrate that they take their environmental responsibilities seriously. When sustainability is backed up by genuine action rather than just messaging, it can strengthen the relationship between the club and its supporters and wider community.

In addition, employees want to work for organisations whose values they can believe in. Having a clear sustainability strategy can help with recruitment and retention, particularly when people can see that the organisation is making practical changes rather than simply making commitments.”

5. ENCOURAGING SELF-EXAMINATION

“From an estates and operations perspective, I think the biggest benefit is that sustainability often makes you look more closely at how you operate,” says Jasmine. “Once you start measuring waste, energy, water, purchasing and consumption, you often identify inefficiencies that were previously hidden. So, for me, sustainability isn't just about doing the right thing environmentally. Done properly, it can make an organisation more efficient, more resilient, more attractive to employees and supporters and, ultimately, better run.”

For insights, advice and stories from across our global network, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and sign up to our newsletter! Interested in how your own sustainability work measures up? Take our free Food For Thought quiz to find out.   

Lead image courtesy of Liverpool FC.