2024 is an exciting year for many sports fans worldwide! The Summer Olympics is about to kick off on July 26th; this 15-day international multi-sport event will take place in Paris this year, attracting more than 15 million visitors to France and more than a billion TV viewers worldwide. Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series in Japan, and the UEFA European Football Championship will also be broadcast this year. These major sporting events bring people together to support their national teams and favorite athletes; the gatherings also increase sales for the food and beverage industry. In the past, hot dogs and burgers were the staples in American stadiums. Post-pandemic, fans indulge in a new variety of international flavors and food options, creating new business opportunities. Work with ANKO and find out how to capitalize on this new market of food business opportunities.

France has long been known as a world-famous culinary destination! This year, a professional catering team will be preparing two million nutritious meals to feed over 15,000 athletes from 206 nations during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The menu will include 80% locally sourced ingredients, one-third of the food available will be plant-based, and featuring four different culinary themes: French, Asian, World, and African-Caribbean. In the 52-acre Olympic Village, there will be 15 different dining locales open 24 hours a day. For the first time ever, the main Dining Hall at the will feature 47,000 reusable plates instead of disposable ones, and 50% less plastic will be used in all packaging. France is devoting significant resources to promoting environmental protection, healthy eating, and traditional flavors during the Paris Olympics.

Baseball is a popular sport that has 500 million fans worldwide! There are 30 stadiums used by the Major League Baseball (MLB) teams in the United States, and the capacity ranges from 25,000 seats in St. Petersburg, Florida, to the largest, the Dodger’s Stadium in Los Angeles, which can host 56,000 fans! In the past, Hot Dogs, Burgers, and Pizza were the Ballpark staples, often enjoyed with a cool drink or ice-cold beer. But today, baseball fans enjoy a wide range of authentic dishes from Arancini (fried Rice Balls), brisket Quesadilla, Dumplings, and even Rainbow Cookie Egg Rolls! The MLB season consists of 162 games over approximately six months annually. In 2024, MLB launched “Ballpark Bites” food delivery in around 400 locations in the U.S. for fans to enjoy their favorite snacks with the games in the comfort of their homes and offices. A Ballpark Bites food truck will also visit various baseball and cultural events, engaging with fans and creating unique culinary experiences.

Baseball is also very popular in Latin America and all over Asia! In Japan, 13 different stadiums were built for the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Games, attracting fans and visitors from around the globe. While waiting for the exciting plays, fans can enjoy various regional flavors, such as Ramen and Soba Noodles, Gyoza, Sushi, and even sweet treats like Mochi. Catering companies and vendors worldwide are creating new and trendy eats for fans at the baseball games, and in doing so, they can establish their brands at the ballparks, literally creating significant revenue with every home run!

Not everyone can make it to Paris or Pro Stadium and watch the games in person. This gives restaurants and sports bars the perfect opportunity to broadcast the games, create special events, and increase their business revenue! Fans enjoy gathering and watching games on a big screen at sports bars and restaurants because they can cheer for their teams and favorite athletes and enjoy ice-cold beers and easily shared, delicious, and savory dishes such as Quesadillas, Empanadas, and Spring Rolls.

Sporting events bring people together globally as fans unite to support their national and international teams and athletes. These major sporting events can be profitable for the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. ANKO offers an array of commercial equipment, such as our SD-97 Series Automatic Encrusting and Forming Machines, that produce various products, including Arancini, Bao, Meat Buns, Energy Balls, and Mochi. The EMP-900 Empanada Making Machine is designed to process high-fat content dough to make authentic and delicious Empanadas efficiently. Our Spring Roll production lines produce various types of sweet and savory Spring Rolls at a high capacity and with great consistency. We design high-quality food machines to save you time and reduce labor so you can focus on promoting your brand, sourcing local ingredients, creating new products, and planning for the next major sporting events to enrich your business.