Chelsea become first Premier League club to open a kiosk devoted to vegan food only The west London club will serve soy kebabs and vegan halloumi to fans from 21 January

Football food has, up until recently, been all about meat pies, burgers and after-pub curries. Yet the game is modernising, and tonight Chelsea FC will officially launch the Premier League’s first fully vegan kiosk, serving soy-based kebabs and coconut halloumi wraps to fans.

While Chelsea have served plant-based food before, they’re now ready to dedicate an entire station on the concourse to the likes of cauliflower wings and vegan pizza. A spokesman for the club said they’re responding to demand and if things go well, there might be more to come.

“We’ve seen real demand from fans for vegan food, so we just want to give it a try and say, ‘hey, here it is, it’s there if you want it’,” said Jon Davies, managing director at catering firm Levy, which looks after Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s home.

“This is about offering more choice rather than taking something away. We know a lot of fans won’t go for it and the majority of people in the UK still eat meat. The football has always been about treating yourself and having an indulgent day.

Plant-based football

“But we also see veganism is on the rise and we want to keep up. The food is still delicious and it’s not necessarily healthier – it’s just catering for those who want to cut down on meat. Everyone’s aware of sustainability now.”

Chelsea won’t be the first football club to serve vegan food by any means. In Gloucestershire, Forest Green Rovers offer not just a vegan kiosk, but an entirely plant-based menu across the stadium.

In fact, the Premier League has seen plant-based dining present for a few years now. Everywhere from Spurs’ ultra-modern Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park, which delivers an altogether more old-time vibe, have vegan options. The vegan pies in South London are delicious, by the way.

But Chelsea’s dedication to a full kiosk at Stamford Bridge is a next step for the Premier League, where modernising is inescapable, and fanbases broad. Food in the top tier is often less about local culture and identity and more about a wider collective. One of Wembley’s biggest sellers is fried chicken and chips, which you wouldn’t have found at any football club 20 years ago.

Mr Davies, whose food firm Levy also caters for Premier League clubs such as Spurs, Aston Villa, Leicester and Wolves said if other fans ask, other plant-based kiosks may launch across the country.

More choice

He said: “We look after other Premier League clubs and will respond where we need to. We’re open to ideas as long as clients say so, we can look at bringing in vegan options.

“But we’re not forcing the issue. Football is still about treats, still about having a day out and food should still be that way – what we’re trying to do is show people they have a choice.”

Just how many Chelsea fans will go for falafel and soy doner meat over traditional hot dogs and meat pies remains to be seen. They’ll be more conscious about needing a win against mid-table outfit Arsenal. But it’s Veganuary 2020, and Chelsea are going for it in a culinary sense having seen strong support in earlier trials.

Simon Hunter, head of venue and development, said: “We are pleased to be offering sports fans plant-based alternatives at our venue.

“Reducing our environmental impact as well as offering fans plant-based options where we can is something we’re very committed to and the launch of the vegan kiosk with Levy UK is a further positive step in doing so.

“The vegan kiosk is part of our mission to innovate.”