In stark contrast to the rush of applicants for ticket lotteries, organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Games are struggling to fill slots for food and beverage providers at sporting event venues.

In fact, only one company has crossed the finish line.

The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games initially expected to make the sourcing decision by the summer, but so far its bid process is lagging, with some in the restaurant business pointing out that the criteria is too high.

In June, the organizers picked 29 venues out of the total 42 venues of the games, divided them into six groups and called for food and beverage providers for each group.

All cooked and catered food for athletes and judges at the venues will be outsourced by the organizers. They will also be responsible for ensuring that boxed lunches reach volunteers and the operation of food and beverage stalls for spectators.

The bidding opened in August, but so far only one company has secured a contract to provide services at four venues, including Equestrian Park.

In three bidding contests for 23 venues, including the National Stadium in Tokyo, applicant companies submitted bids that exceeded the pre-set price, while no business operator participated in bids for Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium and Miyagi Stadium.

The organizers said that not a single business operator had the ability to "deal with the wide range of operations necessary at venues in rural areas."

An employee at a Tokyo-based food service company criticized the standards, saying, "Overall, the organizers set the bar too high."

Among the qualifications required of bidders is experience in catering to international conferences and sporting events. The companies that apply are also required to provide services in Japanese and English.

The organizers also said companies would be judged on their ability to cater to diverse tastes, for example, by providing Halal and vegan-friendly meals.

Such requirements "may have led many companies to have second thoughts," the employee said.

Japan's labor shortage is also considered to be a factor.

An employee of a midsize company noted that some venues are difficult to access, which would make it difficult to secure staff resources.

"It wouldn't be easy for companies to make a profit as they are required to create a special menu for a short-term event," the individual said.

In some cases, the organizers asked a selected company to provide services at 10 venues scattered across wide areas, such as Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach in Ichinomiya, Chiba Prefecture, and the Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward.

Putting such system in place would be impossible for any company, the employee said, because it would be “necessary to have a base location to deliver boxed lunches safely in mid-summer.”

The organizers plan to negotiate individually with companies from now on to ensure the necessary food operations are in place by the start of the sports extravaganza opening in July.