Post by Patrick on Aug 9, 2009 13:48:34 GMT
McDonald's, the US burger giant, is set to become the only branded restaurant at Britain's Olympic venues, prompting fury from restaurateurs and environmentalists who say that food on offer should reflect regional foods and London's ethnic mix.
The company is in talks with the Olympic authorities to ensure that its golden arches are the exclusive recognisable "meal brand" at the 2012 London games, insiders have said. Other food chains, including British and Indian outlets, have been told they will not be able to sell their wares on a number of Olympic sites without removing labels or changing packaging. Critics claim that McDonald's does not reflect either British values or the multicultural area of Stratford, east London, where the Olympic Park is being built.
Jenny Jones, a London councillor and former head of the strategy group London Food, said: "It's outrageous that McDonald's will be the enduring image of food at this magnificent showcase for London. There are a huge number of British companies who would benefit from being able to openly sell healthier, better produced, locally-sourced food."
Iqbal Wahaab, a government adviser on race and employment and founder of the British restaurant chain Roast, said that the food at the 2012 Olympics was at risk of failing to live up to its billing as a showcase for London and its multicultural values. "We are supposed to be properly representing London and its ethnic diversity," he said.
McDonald's is one of the main sponsors of the 2012 Olympic Games after striking a multibillion-pound deal with the International Olympic Committee. The decision on whether the company will be the only food outlet to advertise its wares with signs or packaging is currently under discussion with Olympic officials. The Observer has been told that it is a "done deal" while Coca-Cola has exclusive rights to selling non-alcoholic drinks, including tea and coffee within the Olympic venues.
At other sporting venues, including the ExCel Centre where boxing, weightlifting and table tennis will take place, restaurant and cafe owners have been told that they will have to leave the venues for the duration of the Games to make way for official sponsors.
McDonald's said yesterday that it were in negotiations with the Olympic authorities. "We are in discussions. In past games we have been the branded food retailer but there have been other 'unbranded' products on sale." A spokesman for London 2012 said: "There will be sponsor-branded restaurants and products in the Olympic Park which will sit alongside a diverse and full range of other local food offerings which we are committed to providing."
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Let's hope so.
The company is in talks with the Olympic authorities to ensure that its golden arches are the exclusive recognisable "meal brand" at the 2012 London games, insiders have said. Other food chains, including British and Indian outlets, have been told they will not be able to sell their wares on a number of Olympic sites without removing labels or changing packaging. Critics claim that McDonald's does not reflect either British values or the multicultural area of Stratford, east London, where the Olympic Park is being built.
Jenny Jones, a London councillor and former head of the strategy group London Food, said: "It's outrageous that McDonald's will be the enduring image of food at this magnificent showcase for London. There are a huge number of British companies who would benefit from being able to openly sell healthier, better produced, locally-sourced food."
Iqbal Wahaab, a government adviser on race and employment and founder of the British restaurant chain Roast, said that the food at the 2012 Olympics was at risk of failing to live up to its billing as a showcase for London and its multicultural values. "We are supposed to be properly representing London and its ethnic diversity," he said.
McDonald's is one of the main sponsors of the 2012 Olympic Games after striking a multibillion-pound deal with the International Olympic Committee. The decision on whether the company will be the only food outlet to advertise its wares with signs or packaging is currently under discussion with Olympic officials. The Observer has been told that it is a "done deal" while Coca-Cola has exclusive rights to selling non-alcoholic drinks, including tea and coffee within the Olympic venues.
At other sporting venues, including the ExCel Centre where boxing, weightlifting and table tennis will take place, restaurant and cafe owners have been told that they will have to leave the venues for the duration of the Games to make way for official sponsors.
McDonald's said yesterday that it were in negotiations with the Olympic authorities. "We are in discussions. In past games we have been the branded food retailer but there have been other 'unbranded' products on sale." A spokesman for London 2012 said: "There will be sponsor-branded restaurants and products in the Olympic Park which will sit alongside a diverse and full range of other local food offerings which we are committed to providing."
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Let's hope so.
A.P.P.S
S C 
How have you achieved that?!!
)
stick it 
(and a hug point too)