B BRIEFING FRIENDS ARENA B 50,000 65,000 36 285 Number of people stadium Number of people the arena Number of kiosks in general Number of point of sale holds for sporting events holds for concerts area of the stadium outlets in the stadium

t was the biggest huge volumes of people in a I project in the Nordic short space of time. countries. There was no know- Hultqvist’s discovered that how available, so we had to according to Fifa regulations, start from scratch.” That’s how there must be one point of sale Peter Hultqvist FCSI describes outlet for every 250 visitors Friends Arena in Solna, north during a soccer match. Out of , . of those, up to 40% would Named after Friends, an make a purchase. “So we had anti-bullying organisation, to time how long a purchase the arena seats up to 65,000 takes and how quickly the people for concerts and queue moves,” he says. This is 50,000 for sporting events. It crucial when there is a soccer is home to the Swedish men’s match, as there’s only a 15 national football team and minute break. the AIK football team and is Hultqvist’s solution for the designed to handle all types Friends Arena was to have as of events from sports matches many kiosks as possible. For and concerts to galas, business the general area, there are 36 meetings, conferences and kiosks on three levels, serving trade shows. Its retractable a range of fast food including roof ensures that events can hot dogs, burgers and wraps. be arranged all year round, Each kiosk has several point regardless of the weather. of sale outlets. During a soccer Hultqvist, who runs match there are 285 point of Galepo Restaurant Consulting sale outlets for 50,000 visitors, with his wife Eva, spent four which more than meets Fifa Hultqvist years on the project, planning regulations. “The idea is to travelled to all the foodservice outlets. minimise waiting time and , Flexibility is the key to queues,” he says. Friends Arena foodservice “We came up with the the UK and outlets and the challenge for ideas and concepts for the the US Hultqvist. “It’s more difficult Arena and then worked with studying to build something if it needs other contractors including IT arenas to to be multi-purpose,” he consultants, kitchen designers says. “One day it’s a football and construction workers.” get ideas match, then speedway, then a In addition there are four and to see pop concert and each one has restaurants for VIP corporate how they different requirements.” hospitality packages. The main handled Hultqvist started issue here was the kitchen, as researching the project in it needed to be flexible so on feeding 2008. “We had to work out one day it could serve a buffet huge what food we were going to and on another, fine dining. STADIUM ROCKS volumes sell and how the customer “We drew up plans for a Sweden’s Friends Arena is considered one of the world’s leading venues. Peter Hultqvist of people would approach the outlet.” full production kitchen, but we in a short He travelled to Germany, didn’t do the actual drawings,” FCSI told Jackie Mitchell about the challenges of designing the foodservice offer the UK and the US studying he says. “We planned all space of arenas to get ideas and to see that would be necessary to time how they handled feeding provide this kind of flexibility. >

96 97 B BRIEFING October 2012 100,000 43,466 1981 Date Friends Arena People in audience for Record attendance for an Year Peter Hultqvist started opened to the public gig AIK football team game in foodservice industry

Mall content

Shopping malls are another area of expertise for Galepo Restaurant Consulting. These have included Emporia food court in Malmö, Since Sweden, which required six restaurants with over 600 seats; the Utopia shopping mall Friends in Umea, where Hultqvist worked on four Arena foodservice units and Sollentuna Centrum in Stockholm, where he worked on six opened in restaurants in the food court. October “All food court projects are similar,” he says. “About 18 months before the opening, I have 2012, it a meeting with the restaurateurs who will be has staged running the various outlets, where we talk about the start-up and opening issues. numerous “The planning is exactly the same as for a notable single restaurant on one location,” he says “You plan everything from where are the events groceries going to be delivered, where is the food going to be produced, how will the We indicated where all the manager for a Michelin- customers enter the outlet, is there a seating equipment would be located starred restaurant, he moved area. As soon as the food court opens, our responsibility is transferred to the shopping and the kitchen designer did into contract catering as Nordic mall management. the actual drawings.” region brand manager for “Our challenges are to make it work when Since Friends Arena Compass. During this time, we’re always short of time and getting clients opened in October 2012, it he developed 10 different has staged numerous notable concepts for the Norwegian

events. Swedish House Mafia armed forces.

dance music band performed His last staff job was with over 100,000 people in as CEO of HMS Host at the audience. AIK football Stockholm Arlanda Airport, team has beaten its attendance where he developed nine

record with 43,466 spectators. restaurants including Sweden’s

Completing the Friends first Illy coffee concept. Arena project has given Galepo Restaurant Hultqvist invaluable Consulting celebrates its 10th experience. “We now have anniversary this year. His wife

this expertise which is unique Eva started the business and to make early decisions. The longer decisions in the Nordic countries. it was so successful she was are postponed the fewer options you have. Subsequently we helped the unable to handle the volume For example if you don’t decide where the Arena with some of work so Peter joined her. warewashers will go in time, they may end up analysis before construction How does he find working three floors away!” Hultqvist also carries out an annual survey work started.” with his wife? “It works for us. of Stockholm’s 150 farmers’ markets in a Hultqvist has an extensive Eva looks after the finances, ‘mystery shopper’ exercise for the City of background in the foodservice reports and organisation, Stockholm to determine the best in terms of sector. Starting in 1981 as a while I’m hands on, working customer service and product knowledge. 15-year-old apprentice chef, with clients on concepts and “We’ll know this year’s winner by the end of June,” says Hultqvist. “It’s great fun and he worked as a waiter and start-ups. We’re like any something totally different from what we bartender before attaining normal working couple – we normally do.” a BA in restaurant science. meet in the evening and talk www.galepo.se After working as restaurant about our day.”

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