What Freemans Event Partners does

Freemans Event Partners is a UK-based, family-owned multi-service event services company founded in 1975 by Stephen Freeman Snr and Karen Freeman, operating through five wholly-owned subsidiaries covering Catering, Logistics, Bars, Technologies, and Concessions. Headquartered in Gloucester/Hardwicke with 140+ full-time staff and a seasonal peak workforce of 2,000+, the company delivers integrated food & beverage operations, payment technology, foodservice logistics, and brand partnership facilitation at major sporting venues and events across the UK and Europe — including Silverstone (F1 British Grand Prix, MotoGP, Festival), Lord's Cricket Ground, Wembley Stadium, Twickenham, Murrayfield, Cheltenham, Badminton Horse Trials, and international events such as the Paris 2024 Olympics and Coldplay's Abu Dhabi residency. The company serves 10 million meals across more than 1,300 event days annually, reaching an audience of 25 million people per year, and holds BRCGS AA accreditation for over a decade alongside PCI-DSS, GDPR, and Modern Slavery Act compliance.

The company's technology stack is anchored by FEP PAY, a proprietary PCI-compliant omnichannel payment processing platform supporting in-person, contactless, and offline transactions with live data reporting and customer profiling — now licensed externally to third-party hospitality, retail and events businesses beyond FEP-operated outlets. Differentiated product innovations include the UK's first Mobile Guinness Self-Serve Bars (powered by Drink Command smart dispensing, enabling a pint pour in 45 seconds with 99% keg efficiency and 2,500 pints/day capacity), Klimato-powered carbon footprint labelling on every menu item, and the CARGO Global Eats elevated street food concept featuring curated vendors (MeatHead, Poppy's Pineapples, Broll Grill). Sustainability, brand activation, and supply chain technologies are delivered through partnerships with Klimato, Drink Command, Delaware North, and global brands including Coca-Cola, Diageo, Mastercard, Visa, Nestlé, Mondelez, and PepsiCo.

Freemans operates a bespoke B2B managed services model, generating revenue through multi-year contracts negotiated directly with venue operators and event rights holders — there is no public pricing or rate card. Revenue streams include event F&B operations (the largest line, earned on a per-contract basis across 1,300+ event days), FEP PAY transaction fees (including external software licensing), BRCGS-accredited foodservice logistics (same-day six-hour delivery), brand partnership facilitation with global consumer brands, and accredited workforce culinary services (e.g., 2,000+ meals per matchday at Lord's). The customer base spans sports rights holders (Six Nations, F1, MLB Europe, RFU), venue operators (Silverstone, MCC/Lord's, Jockey Club), brand partners (Coca-Cola, Costa Coffee, Diageo), and seasonal event operators (RG Live/Sony Music). The company has set a stated ambition to double turnover within five years, with stated revenue targets of £200m.

Name

Freemans Event Partners

Legal name

Freemans Event Partners

Website

https://freemanseventpartners.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Freemans Event Partners is a UK-based, family-owned multi-service event partner delivering integrated food & beverage, payment technology (FEP PAY), foodservice logistics, and brand activations at iconic UK and European sporting venues and events, including Silverstone, Lord's, Wembley, and Twickenham.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Hospitality Services

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (722310), Caterers (722320), Mobile Food Services (72233)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Contract Foodservice Management (Outsourced Catering) (THAFAIAH)

Keywords

• Event food and beverage
• Event hospitality services
• Sports venue catering
• Event payment technology
• Live event logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Food & Beverage Operations: Freemans Event Partners designs, builds, and operates food & beverage outlets at major sporting events, concerts, and cultural venues across the UK and Europe. Revenue is earned through the delivery of bespoke multi-service solutions — including staffing, menu design, food preparation, and service — on a contract basis. The company serves over 25 million people annually across more than 650 event days, generating revenue per event through negotiated multi-year venue contracts.
2. FEP PAY Payment Processing: Licensed payment processing and point-of-sale solutions provided to venues, hospitality operators, and event organisers. FEP PAY powers transactions across all FEP-operated outlets and is also sold externally to third-party hospitality, retail, and events businesses. Revenue is generated through transaction fees and licensing of the payment platform.
3. Foodservice & Wholesale Logistics: BRCGS AA-accredited wholesale and logistics service delivering food, beverages, and equipment to event vendors and venue partners. Same-day delivery to selected events within six hours of order. Revenue is earned on a per-delivery basis across UK and European operations.
4. Brand Partnerships & Activations: Facilitates commercial partnerships between global brands (Coca-Cola, Diageo, Mastercard, Visa, Nestlé, Mondelez, PepsiCo) and event venues. FEP designs and delivers consumer brand activations, branded kiosks, and promotional experiences at events, monetised through co-investment deals and brand sponsorship fees.
5. Culinary Workforce & Accredited Dining: Provision of accredited workforce culinary services at venues, including meal preparation and delivery for staff on matchdays or event days. Delivered under multi-year contracts with venues such as Lord's Cricket Ground.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Freemans Event Partners designs, builds, and operates end-to-end food & beverage, payments, logistics, and brand activation services at major UK and European sporting events, concerts and cultural venues. The company serves over 25 million people across more than 650 event days annually under exclusive multi-year contracts with venues such as Silverstone, Wembley Stadium, Lord's Cricket Ground, and Allianz Stadium Twickenham. Its proprietary FEP PAY payment platform and BRCGS-accredited foodservice logistics are sold both internally and externally to third-party hospitality operators.

Product overview

Freemans Event Partners operates as a multi-service event partner offering integrated food and beverage, payment technology, foodservice logistics, and brand partnership solutions. The core offering consists of Food & Beverage delivery at major UK and European events, supported by the proprietary FEP PAY payment processing platform, BRCGS-accredited Foodservice logistics, and Brand Partnerships facilitation. Key sub-products include CARGO Global Eats (street food concepts), Mobile Guinness Self-Serve Bars (self-pour technology), and Sustainability services (carbon labelling, zero zones). The portfolio serves iconic venues and events including Silverstone, Wembley Stadium, Lord's Cricket Ground, Twickenham and major sporting championships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FEP PAY: Payment processing solution for hospitality, retail and events industries, offering omnichannel payment solutions with card and contactless payments.
• CARGO Global Eats

Products and services

• Food & Beverage Operations
• Foodservice (BRCGS Logistics)
• FEP PAY
• Brand Partnerships & Activations

Quantifiable outcome

• Queue times cut in half at Lord's Cricket Ground following Food Village deployment
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2025Freemans Event Partners appointed as exclusive public food & drink partner for the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. The partnership builds on Freemans' origins — selling fish and chips at the event in the 1970s. RIAT attracts 178,000+ visitors and is the world's greatest airshow.
• RG Live (Sony Music Masterworks)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025Freemans Event Partners secured a multi-year contract with experiential events specialist RG Live (a division of Sony Music Masterworks) to deliver food and beverage across its nationwide Halloween and Christmas light trails at 13 UK venues. Freemans oversees complete food & drink operations from product development to onsite delivery, with anticipated 2.7 million tickets on sale.
• Silverstone CircuitflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Silverstone and Freemans Event Partners signed a new multi-year contract reaffirming a 40-year partnership. Freemans remains the exclusive public food and beverage provider at Silverstone for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, MotoGP, and Silverstone Festival. The partnership has grown from a single fish and chip outlet in 1975 to managing 280+ outlets serving 480,000+ spectators at the British Grand Prix.
• The Murrayfield Experience (Elior UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2025Freemans Event Partners partnered with The Murrayfield Experience (powered by Elior UK) and Scottish Rugby to launch mobile self-serve Guinness and Tennent's bars at Scottish Gas Murrayfield for the Scotland vs Ireland Six Nations fixture, enabling fans to pour pints in 45 seconds.
• Costa CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2024Costa Coffee, the Nation's Favourite Coffee Shop (Allegra Strategies, 14 consecutive years), partnered with Freemans Event Partners to build and deploy branded coffee outlets across the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games at venues including the Athletes' Village, Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower, Roland Garros, Versailles, and Le Golf National. Over 500,000 drinks were sold. The partnership has been extended with a fleet of kiosks being deployed at UK venues including Allianz Stadium, Cheltenham Racecourse, Badminton Horse Trials, and BMW PGA Championship.
• KlimatocoreTechnology or Integration · 4 February 2024Partnership with food sustainability technology specialist Klimato to calculate, label, and optimise the carbon footprint of every menu item served across Freemans Event Partners' full event portfolio. Carbon labelling is live across major venues including Wembley Stadium, Lord's Cricket Ground, and Twickenham Stadium, reaching 15 million customers annually. Freemans uses Klimato data to review and optimise recipes for lower carbon impact.
• Drink CommandcoreTechnology or IntegrationDrink Command provides the smart dispensing technology powering Freemans Event Partners' mobile Guinness self-serve bars. The technology enables fans to pour their own pint via contactless payment in 45 seconds, with each bar featuring 12-24 self-pour taps and a high-capacity keg system dispensing up to 2,500 pints per day at optimum temperature.
• DiageocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiageo collaborates with Freemans Event Partners on the Guinness self-serve bar initiative at major rugby and sporting venues. Diageo sets the 'perfect pour' standard for Guinness and supplies the brand's keg products, while Freemans provides the mobile bar infrastructure and FEP PAY payment technology.
• Delaware NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreemans Event Partners works in partnership with Delaware North at the London Stadium to deliver bespoke food & beverage concepts for major events including the MLB London Series. Delaware North serves as the primary venue operator and hospitality partner, with Freemans providing the menu design, street food vendor curation, and event-specific F&B delivery.
• Marylebone Cricket Club (Lord's Cricket Ground)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), owners of Lord's Cricket Ground, for spectator F&B delivery to 250,000+ visitors annually. The partnership was expanded to include the Lord's Food Village development (awarded ECB 'Best New Development') and an accredited workforce culinary contract delivering 2,000+ meals on matchdays.
• Coca-ColacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing brand partnership with Coca-Cola delivering activations and sustainable drink options at major events including Silverstone British Grand Prix. Coca-Cola is one of the global rightsholders and brands Freemans works with to execute high-impact consumer activations.
• British Horseracing AuthorityminorOthersCEO Tara Warren serves as a non-executive director at the British Horseracing Authority and sits on the newly-formed Independent Football Regulator — a governance relationship rather than a commercial partnership.
• Fleet Street CommunicationsminorOthersRetained PR agency for Freemans Event Partners handling media enquiries, interview requests, imagery, and press release distribution.
• VisacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVisa is listed among the global rightsholders and brands Freemans works with to deliver high-impact consumer brand activations at major sporting events.
• MastercardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMastercard is listed among the global rightsholders and brands Freemans works with to deliver high-impact consumer brand activations at major sporting events.
• NestlécoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNestlé is listed as a key brand partner working with Freemans Event Partners to deliver high-impact consumer brand activations and product sampling campaigns (e.g., KitKat Orange Sampling Tour across Bristol, Birmingham, and Cardiff).
• MondelezcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMondelez is listed among the global brands Freemans works with to deliver brand activations at major sporting and live events.
• PepsiCocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPepsiCo is listed among the global brands Freemans works with to deliver consumer brand activations at major events.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sodexo Live!: Sodexo's dedicated sports, leisure and events division operating food and beverage at stadiums, arenas, racecourses and cultural venues worldwide. Directly comparable in serving iconic sporting venues under multi-year managed service contracts.
• Elior Group: International contract caterer with significant UK presence under Elior UK; already co-partner of Freemans at Scottish Gas Murrayfield. Direct peer in stadium and event catering with overlapping venue relationships in the UK and Europe.
• Levy (Compass Group): Restaurant and hospitality company owned by Compass Group, a leading US sports and entertainment F&B operator. Operates at NFL, NBA, MLB and Major League Soccer venues with integrated food, beverage and premium hospitality.
• Delaware North: Global hospitality and food service company operating food, beverage and retail at major sports venues, airports and entertainment destinations. A direct competitor in event F&B and an actual partner of Freemans at the London Stadium/MLB London Series, making it the closest functional peer.
• Aramark: Global food, facilities and uniform services provider with a large sports and entertainment division serving stadiums, arenas, convention centers and amphitheaters. Direct comparable in scale, contract structure and venue F&B focus.

Broad incumbents

• Centerplate (Sodexo): US-focused stadium and convention center catering brand operating as part of Sodexo Live!. Comparable venue F&B service model though primarily North American footprint; functions as a regional incumbent peer.
• Compass Group: World's largest contract foodservice and support services group; parent of Levy and a broad incumbent across sports, education, healthcare and corporate. Direct parent of the most direct US stadium F&B peer.

Regional players

• CH&CO (CH&CO Group): UK premium contract caterer and hospitality provider serving corporate, leisure and cultural venues. Comparable in UK venue hospitality and event catering though more skewed to corporate/cultural than major sport stadia.

Emerging players

• Rhino Events & Catering: UK-based event catering and bar service provider focused on festivals, private events and live music. Compares to Freemans on event-day bar and food service execution though at a smaller scale and different venue mix.

Others

• Keith Prowse (Match Day Hospitality): UK official hospitality provider for major sporting events including Wimbledon, Twickenham, The Open and test matches. An adjacent peer in premium venue hospitality though focused on hospitality packages rather than food and beverage operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/freemanseventpartners
• Xx.com/freemans_ep

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freemans Event Partners