Feeding frenzy for beautiful game.
Screening World Cup matches won't be enough to bring the punters in, says Richard Fox. This time round you need a female-friendly menu and an international vibe.
How time flies! It doesn't feel like four years since I was last standing shoulder to shoulder with friends and strangers, who became shoulders to cry on - or best buddies to embrace - within the space of 90 minutes. During the 2002 World Cup, the bars were buzzing and the beer was flowing - and the early morning bacon butties went down a storm. All this before even setting off for work. If only all World Cups could be this way.
From a business point of view there are two key factors to consider in relation to those past events. Firstly, the novelty and excitement element of the morning mania of four years ago is not there. Consequently, the living room telly is added competition. Secondly, football has become more Hello! magazine than Pukka Pie and a plastic pint: the events of four years ago confirmed this seismic shift. And that can only mean one thing: football is now as much a woman's territory as a man's. Nowadays, being a Man U or Chelsea fan can be justified by liking the kit design, or a pair of legs and if you think loyalty is earned by freezing your proverbials off on wet winter afternoons - more fool you.
Listen, I don't like it any more than you do, but these are the harsh realities of the current game. I'm not being sexist, and I'm not bitter, but if we want to get some quality action in our pubs over the forthcoming World Cup fest we seriously need to get in touch with our feminine football side.
Of course, I'm not suggesting decking the place out like a Harvey Nichs window display; or offering mini Jimmy Choo footy boots with every meal. Subtlety is definitely the key - with the suggestive power of persuasion. So, on the sarnie specials front, you want to be thinking more Prêt than KFC.
Fillings such as crayfish with lime crème fraîche; poached salmon with rocket and lemon mayo, and anything with avocados are going to get the ladies vote. Wraps, such as chicken Caesar or roast duck with hoisin are all food for thought. Of course, there's always the option of converting the sarnies into double-deckers for that post-work, pre-match, lower-cost meal. Tasty cold garnishes like minted pea couscous, tomato salsa or crushed new potatoes are so much tastier and more original than coleslaw, which - if my memory serves me correctly - is a KFC staple.
I've talked extensively in the past about the benefits of cone food for vertical eating during sporting events (bite-size finger food served in bespoke paper cones), and while this is still going to be a great higher-spend alternative to the old crisps and nuts, I feel this year the benefits are going to come from those pre-match sit-down, sociable meals.
For a start, everyone knows the benefits of a belly full of food before or during some quality drinking. And I sense this year, more than any, is going to have a festival spirit about it - an event where the football game itself is as much a catalyst for social interaction as it is a sporting event.
In this context, food can highlight and enhance that experience - celebrating the imminent match. Taking this into account, a natural menu development would be international theming. Give a Spanish or Italian twist to regular menu items. Downsize the menu for an early evening Tapa selection for a Spanish vibe, or serve pizza slices for Italy. How about a smorgasbord to share? It might not be to Sven's taste - but then again, our group could depend on it. But perhaps even more interesting would be something South or Central American, North African or Caribbean.
Think huge juicy steaks from Argentina (regarded by many as the finest beef producing nation in the world); nachos and chilli from Mexico; smoked aubergine and marinated, char-grilled lamb for a Tunisian flavour: while summer is the perfect time to get out the barbecue and indulge in a spot of West Indian beach life, Trinidad and Tobago style. Jerk chicken, sweet potatoes and all manner of barbecued fish are certain to generate a buzz before and after a game.
Angling the menu in this way allows you to generate interest beyond the regular England games. It also offers the opportunity to theme your drinks. How about a world beer range or let your imagination go mad with flag-coloured cocktails?
Let's face it but - perish the thought - should the unthinkable happen, and England don't make the final cut, you don't want your World Cup exploits ending in the same ignominious way.
Qualifying line-up
Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador,
England, France, Germany, Ghana, Iran, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Japan, Korea Republic, Mexico,
Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal,
Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine and USA
www.sportsworld-group.com
World Cup Trivia
During the 1990 World Cup final, players in the Saudi Arabia team were offered the incentive of a Rolls Royce for any player to score a goal!
The most common surname among World Cup players is Gonzalez or Gonzales.
The smallest crowd to watch a World Cup match was the 300 who showed up to the game between Romania and Peru during the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
India refused to play in the 1950 World Cup because FIFA told the players they would have to play in soccer cleats, rather than barefoot.
The motto for the 2006 cup is "A time to make friends"
Soccer Savvy
Nestlé FoodServices offer licensees advice on how to score with their customers:
Think eatability. Punters want to concentrate 100% on the match, so they need food they don't have to think about. Finger-food treats allow customers to hold food and drinks at the same time and watch the match with ease.
Theme your food around the teams playing. Create Italian pizza, Portugese piri piri or English bangers and mash.
Think about incorporating food into your promotions. Consider offering a free hot dog to the first five people at the bar after a goal is scored, or offer a beer and meal deal.
Get organised. Customers will all want food and drink at the same time - half time! Choose snacks that can be prepared in advance.
Consider a pre-ordering system - customers can be served food and drink at their table which allows you to prepare ahead.
Post-match analysis. To keep customers after the match, offer food that is bought ahead of the match but served after the final whistle.
Product players
Greene King has brewed a limited-edition beer - Striker - for football fans. A full-bodied standard beer with characteristic hop aroma and flavour, Striker is set to be a footie fan's favourite over the summer months.
Aviko has a range of chilled potato products suitable for snacking on during any match. Their chips have a homemade look and are the ideal "beer-soaker". For customers looking for a healthier option, Aviko has a new Steam and Fresh range that locks in valuable minerals, nutrients and natural potato taste as it is prepared by steaming rather than boiling. Containing up to 20% more vitamin B1 and 30% more vitamin C than a standard boiled or blanched potato, the chilled range is made with 100% pure potato with no additives and no fat when regenerated in a steamer. For more information, visit www.aviko.com/uk/outofhome
Add an innovative and high-quality look to bread and speciality bread products during the World Cup by serving football butter balls from the Butter Rosettes range from IDB Deutschland GmbH. Easy to handle straight from the freezer, these non-stick unsalted butter portions will defrost in just a few minutes. The 15g butter balls maintain their shape throughout service, even on hot summe
