Sodexo Live! implements an unprecedented plant-based, sustainable initiative at this year’s Olympic games.
Big sporting events aren’t traditionally the most vegan-friendly. Most often, herbivores have to settle for some strange combination of fries, pickles, nuts, and chips. But things might be changing for the better, as Sodexo Live! announces that 60% of the food for Paris Olympic Games attendees will be plant-based. And 30% of the items at Athletes’ Village will be vegan!
Sodexo Live! to Lead the Dining Experience for the Paris Olympic Games
Sodexo Live! works directly with major sporting venues, events, and conventions across the world such as the Rugby World Cup, Tour de France, the Hollywood Bowl, and more. They offer services such as catering, sales, and event management. Currently, Sodexo Live! Is preparing to lead the dining experience for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, with sustainability at the forefront of their decisions.
Vegan Options at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games
Expect to see a record-breaking amount of vegan options at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. According to Sodexo Live!, 60% of all food and beverage across all sites for the public will be plant-based—including one fully vegetarian restaurant, La Concorde. And 30% of the items at Athletes’ Village will be vegan. To put things in perspective, France is preparing to serve 13 million meals during the games.
The meals range from plant-based versions of gametime classics like hot dogs to fancier offerings like Sweet Potato Za’atar with Hummus & Chimichurri.
Photo by Nicolas Gouhier
80% of the Food Supply Sourced Locally
Not only will there be two times the amount of plant-based meals offered at the Olympics, but 80% of the total food supply will be sourced locally from France—supporting local communities and reducing carbon emissions on transporting ingredients. And instead of using disposable dishes, Sodexo Live! plans to introduce 47,000 reusable plates and cut down the amount of single-use plastic in half. This is the first time a sustainability effort as large as this one will be implemented into the main restaurant of an Olympic Village.
Paris Olympics to Prevent Food Waste
If you’re like us, and you read 13 million meals, you probably start to think about how much food will be wasted at the event. But the Paris Olympics team has already built a comprehensive plan to prevent food waste, and recover the waste that cannot be prevented. Unsold and unconsumed food will be given to charity, converted into animal feed, composted, or sent to anaerobic digestion plants.
All of these efforts are a part of the 2024 Paris Olympics goals to cut the carbon footprint of their catering in half. You can read more about their sustainable initiatives here.
