Manchester City and Co-op Live bosses announce new joint venture

A new company will provide the food and drink at both the Etihad Stadium and Co-op Live, it has been announced.

Manchester City FC and the Oak View Group (OVG), who are joint owners of Co-op Live, have revealed they have again come together to create a new 'fully integrated service and operations company.'

It 'initial focus' will be the catering across the Etihad Campus, the companies said in a statement announcing the joint venture. They claim it will bring 'improved standards of service through multi-venue delivery.'

Eastlands Venue Services will be led by Mike Green, a long-standing executive at the City Football Group (CFG), who own the Blues. It will operate 365 days a year and have 80 full-time staff, and 3,000 casual staff, the majority of whom are said to come from Greater Manchester.

They are joining from the existing food and drink supplies at the venues. CFG and OVG say they will 'benefit from further job stability through access to more frequent and regular shifts, as part of the joint venture’s multi-venue operational model.'

"The joint venture will also offer career training and development opportunities by providing pathways into the service industry for local people from both Manchester and the wider city region" they added.

Roel de Vries, Chief Operating Officer at CFG said: “Today’s announcement and launch of a new joint venture between City Football Group and Oak View Group is incredibly exciting and demonstrates the ongoing aspirations of both organisations to set new standards of service in the sports and entertainment industry.

“Combining the expertise of our fantastic employees and casual work force, who are vastly experienced in delivering events across Etihad Campus venues, will provide the