Everton inks landmark stadium deal with Aramark

Aramark UK has committed to helping turn Everton Stadium into one of the most advanced venues for fan experience in Europe.

Recognised as one of the world’s leading food service providers, and as industry experts in creating food and beverage-led venue experiences, Aramark partners with Everton in one of the biggest commercial deals in the Club’s history.

As part of the agreement, and in a demonstration of their commitment to the venue becoming a flagship for their European operation, Aramark will take a position as a Founding Partner of Everton Stadium, with construction of the new waterfront home nearing completion in advance of being fully operational for the 2025/26 football season.

The long-term partnership, which marks the industry giant’s first step into English football, will see Aramark deliver world-class food, drink and experiences across Everton Stadium’s footprint all year round, incorporating matchday and non-matchday events.

Working in partnership, the Club and Aramark will deliver new innovative experiences for Evertonians at the new stadium, using the most modern technologies to revolutionise fan experience, with the quality of food and beverage provision and speed of service at the forefront.

Aramark will be drawing on the solutions it has deployed so successfully across a vast range of sports venues around the globe. These include some of the most high-profile NFL venues such as the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field, Denver’s Mile High Stadium, and the Cleveland Browns’ Stadium. Also within Aramark’s impressive portfolio are nine La Liga stadia, including Atletico Madrid’s Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium and eight Bundesliga stadia, including the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Embracing Everton’s vision for a digital-first stadium, Aramark will implement market-leading technology aimed at minimising wait times and enhancing fan satisfaction with support on hand from dedicated staff.

Everton Stadium will boast ‘frictionless’ operations, which will significantly reduce queuing through ‘walk-in walk-out’ technology solutions. Alongside modern-day kiosks, these retail outlets will be established at key locations across the stadium to create inclusive and vibrant destinations where supporters will be able to enjoy first-class food and drink quickly and easily.

These frictionless stores will include self-service beer systems, immersive food and beverage offers and kitchen collection points – which specialise in producing food exclusively for online order pick-up.

Development of The Plaza – an accessible 30,000m sq. space at the eastern entrance to the stadium footprint – will showcase a wide range of specially curated food and drink concepts.

Alongside pre-match entertainment and activities, Aramark will work alongside the Club to design food and drink offerings that will be flexible and on-trend, seasonally adapting to the needs of Evertonians and visitors, as well as any events taking place throughout the year.

The partnership between Everton and Aramark is rooted in community spirit and driving opportunities for local people. More than 1,200 new roles will be created at Everton Stadium and through wider development initiatives established.

From left: Jay Morrison (Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Operations, Aramark International), Tom Ford (Vice President, Marketing and Strategy, Aramark UK), Carl Mittleman (Chief Operating Officer, Aramark International), Richard Kenyon (Chief Commercial and Communications Officer, Everton), Neil Russell (Director of Venue Experience and Revenue, Everton

In partnership with Everton in the Community (EitC), a new social enterprise will be introduced. This will see Aramark and Everton work in partnership to promote the career opportunities available at the stadium and support local food and drink suppliers in bringing their concepts to life.

Richard Kenyon, Everton’s Chief Commercial and Communications Officer, said: “This is a landmark partnership for the Club and we are delighted to welcome Aramark as a Founding Partner.

“Their mission to set the standard for excellence and their alignment with our vision to create exceptional experiences for Evertonians really resonated with us.

“Aramark understands what goes into and what is required to deliver high profile and multi-purpose venues. As we look forward to the Club’s bright future at our new home, we are focused on working together to deliver the right type of experience for every fan and every visitor, both within the stadium and on The Plaza.

“By utilising Aramark’s global expertise across many industries, we will be adopting the very latest in retail technology to make a visit to Everton Stadium an amazing experience for every Evertonian.

“Evertonians deserve the best and we are working with a global industry leader in Aramark to offer unrivalled experiences at our new home.”

By becoming a Founding Partner at Everton Stadium, Aramark will also receive enhanced commercial opportunities and media rights at the Club’s new home once it opens in the summer of 2025.

Helen Milligan-Smith, CEO and President at Aramark UK, added: “We are thrilled to be a Founding Partner and chosen as the Culinary Experiences Partner for Everton. Our shared commitment to delivering remarkable experiences means we are developing something truly extraordinary for the launch of the new stadium.

“It’s important to us that we go above and beyond to forge strong connections not only with our venues, but with the wider community too. The introduction of a new social enterprise programme is a great example of this, and we look forward to working with Everton in the Community to champion local produce and provide training and job opportunities to local people across Liverpool.”