Gema Group, which is headquartered in Western Sydney like the two stadiums it is taking on, will oversee all the food and beverage experiences at Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park and CommBank Stadium in Parramatta in 2024.
As the exclusive hospitality partner, Gema Group is bringing a mix of popular fast food options into both stadiums, including El Jannah, Al Aseel and Roll’d. As part of the new arrangement, Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group will also bring Ribs & Burgers, The Meat and Wine Co. and Five Guys to the two venues.
At Accor Stadium, high end hospitality brands and top chefs will be brought in to service both match days, major events and business events held at the venue.
The global sensation Nobu will service some major events, while chefs catering to public events and business events at the venue as part of the Event Chef Series include celebrity chefs Miguel Maestre, Manu Feildel and Anna Polyviou.
Food trucks will also be onsite on event days at both stadiums.
“We’re bringing the best of western Sydney’s diverse food and wine culture into NSW’s major venues,” said Gema Group managing director Paul Valenti.
“We look forward to giving the millions of people who attend sporting and entertainment events the ultimate taste of Sydney.”
Announcing its major hospitality contract win on Facebook, Gema Group said it is “super excited to work side by side with Venues NSW and their tenant teams to create a unique hospitality experience across all levels of food and beverage”.
“We are proud to have handpicked the best in the west while engaging unique Sydney celebrities to bring a fun element to our corporate dining experiences.”
Venues NSW have made several major moves to shake-up the hospitality offering at the venues it owns in the last few years. In 2021 it appointed Merivale to oversee catering and hospitality at Sydney Cricket Ground and extended the partnership to include Allianz Stadium in 2022.
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Gema Group who will revolutionise the event experience for the millions of fans who visit Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium,” said Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather of its selection of Gema Group for the western Sydney stadiums.
Gema Group has plenty of experience with major sporting venues and events. It has provided catering for the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne and the ICC T20 World Cup. The group also acquired catering business Epicure from Spotless in 2022.
