The first ever winter Football World Cup is upon us and the hospitality industry is gearing up for a busy month as fans flock to the big screens in towns and cities nationwide.

There has never been more incentive for groups of friends and families to meet up at their favourite eateries or gather around the living room TV with a takeaway, as the sporting action adds to the festivities leading up to Christmas.

This December therefore presents a unique question… how will businesses adapt when one of the world’s largest sporting events collides with the ever-manic build-up to Christmas?

England’s final-reaching run in the Euros last year generated an additional £2.3bn of food and drink sales in the UK. In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever for businesses to take every opportunity to attract customers whilst managing staff shortages and the rising price of energy and fresh ingredients.

The main goal for businesses will be to encourage their customers to spend on food and drink with an affordable, quick and quality food and drink service in challenging circumstances.

We’re here to suggest how businesses can get the ball rolling with Meadow Vale Foods’ range of seriously tasty, fully cooked IQF chicken products, focusing on match winning menu ideas, lightning quick service and reducing waste to nil!

Teamwork makes the dream work

Drink and food packages are becoming increasingly popular for groups looking to maximise their hospitality experience and cut the financial burden by spreading the costs between them.

Chicken strips, wings and bites are a winning inclusion in a food and drinks package, or the trending ‘wing Wednesday’ style bulk offer, especially among young adults who made up 40% of people that bought food and drink packages during the Euros last year (Lumina Intelligence & Eating out Panel).

Meadow Vale Foods provide everything the caterer needs for a consistently high performing and easy-to-prepare chicken option for sharers and combos, from the hand-held favourites of our Pickin Chicken to our succulent selection of marinated wings, all fully cooked and ready to serve in minutes!

So, why not create your own package offer that can't be refused for a perfect matchday treat? See our full range here and enquire today for a free sample.

No extra-time needed

QSR and delivery markets are expected to fly during the World Cup, meaning a key focus will be placed on speeding up service and consistently producing a high-quality food offering.

With over 90 seriously tasty fully cooked chicken products to choose from, using Meadow Vale chicken helps the caterer save time and cut out risks of cooking from fresh, whilst providing a consistent premium product for your customers.

Take our Homestyle Shredded Chicken for example... With just 50g from a 1kg bag, caterers can create a plate filler that tastes great, looks great and can be prepared in just 90 seconds from frozen, wasting no time for your hungry football fanatics.

Thanks to the innovative crunchy coating system of our Homestyle range, customers can be assured food arrives piping hot for the match, avoiding complaints of food arriving cold.

The succulent inner-fillet core stays hotter for longer and every bite packs a satisfying crunch, helping caterers to extend their delivery zone whilst keeping customers happy whether in sporting victory or despair.

Match winning menu ideas

Street food favourites are still the biggest trend in 2022, with a rising consumer demand for high quality, fast-service foods delivered straight to the door.

The humble burger is still the no.1 choice for consumers in pubs, restaurants and takeaways, and is expected to be the biggest seller during the World Cup.

Caterers can easily create the perfect burger with every order thanks to Meadow Vale's wide range of coated and uncoated chicken fillets.

Sizes vary from 120-160g to offer excellent bun coverage and an array of authentic flavour profiles to choose from including Hot & Spicy, Southern Fried and Buttermilk.

Need inspiration? Our menu ideas section presents a catalogue of colourful, appealing and tasty dishes that are simple to make and prepared quickly… but takes nothing away from chicken being the main event!

Vegan goals!

Looking for a tasty meat-free option for the World Cup that you can count on in multiple menu offerings? Then look no further than our award winning Original Vegan Chick’n Strips.

Tightly calibrated in our signature crunchy coating, the strips offer a fitting meat-free alternative using pea protein, which fashions a succulent meaty bite with a high-quality taste, texture and appeal.

The strips can be used across a menu from a juicy burger to a tasty taco, meaning the need to buy varying vegan products is eliminated and costs are kept low with careful number counted bags, allowing the caterer easy portion control.

Get in touch today!

The possibilities are endless to how Meadow Vale can help caterers get the best out of their World Cup hospitality.

To find out more about our high quality, fully cooked and seriously tasty frozen chicken range, including details on free samples, finding a supplier and pricing, get in touch today using the contact form or call us on 01978 666100.