Concessions 101: How do concession companies work?

The more informed you are about how the foodservice business works, the more powerful your suggestions will be.

Read "Encouraging Vegetarian Foods at Concession Stands." This is an article written in 2004 by our director Johanna McCloy for The Vegetarian Journal. It provides an informative outline of the foodservice business.

Where/how do they get their food? Most concession companies, at least the larger ones, use super distributors such as Sysco as their food suppliers.  This allows them to go to one supplier for almost all of their needs, making it a one contract, one stop shop.  Consequently, they are less inclined to consider foods that are not already available through their distributor.  

Will they consider anything that is not available through their distributor? A direct arrangement might be made between the food company and the venue through another distribution channel, direct shipments, or as a special request through the existing distributor. This has been negotiated in several arenas.

When do concessionaires change their menus? Concession fare changes all the time, so they are always receptive to customer feedback. If the suggestions aren’t immediately implemented, many concession managers will still tally your comments for consideration in the next season.

Our Approach

Concessions 101

Supporting new veg menu items

Venue Vegetarian Guide