Croke Park launches its new “50 Mile Menu” to cut on catering’s environmental footprint and help local suppliers
The GAA games, as well as other events at Croke Park will never be the same, at least what concerns food and beverage and its environmental and carbon footprint!
As part of their ongoing sustainability efforts, Croke Park has launched innovative new menus to champion seasonally inspired and locally acquired food at meetings, conferences and corporate events hosted in the stadium.
Most events now have a commitment to being as sustainable as possible, so event organisers will be eager to hear that every dish on these new menus have been given an innovative carbon ‘foodprint’ score, such is the level of detail and traceability put in place by the Meetings & Events team.
Croke Park is also the first events venue in Ireland to launch a 50 Mile Menu, featuring ingredients sourced only within a 50 mile radius of Croke Park. Businesses can choose to build their entire meeting or event around the 50 mile offering.
Croke Park Meetings & Events source 85% of all produce from within the island of Ireland, with 70% grown or produced from within a 50 mile radius of the stadium, including Croke Park’s very own farm. This statistic inspired the multi-award-winning events team to develop the new menus, which serves to showcase local suppliers and give clients more choice and control when it comes to deciding how strong a sustainability focus they want their event to have.
The Croke Farm in North County Dublin is well known for providing locally grown turf to keep the pitch in top condition, but what people may not know is that the farm is also used to grow a selection of herbs and fresh fruit and vegetables for use in the stadium’s menus. Croke Park has also partnered with Fingal Beekeepers’ Association to have beehives to support bee and pollinator activity and produce a unique Croke Park honey. It’s small scale for now, but the ambition is to grow this activity.
Not only will these new measures reduce food miles and lower the carbon footprint of an event, but it ensures those hosting meetings, conferences, trade shows and galas at Croke Park are serving the freshest and most seasonal produce available.
“We take our sustainability as seriously as our sports and want to make it easier for businesses to plan sustainable and environmentally conscious events. Our Executive Chef, Ruairi Boyce, and his passionate team have created a new range of seasonal, sustainable, and sensational menus for attendees to enjoy at their next event, including our ground-breaking 50 Mile Menu. The 50 Mile Menu is our proudest food achievement to date, thanks to a talented team that are not only changing the face of stadium food, but pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of both catering and sustainable events.”
Marie Smyth, Croke Park Meetings & Events
Source and photo credits: Croke Park, Event Sustainability Live