Centerplate
Sodexo Live!, the hospitality division of Sodexo SA and successor to Centerplate, provides managed food, beverage, and hospitality services at stadiums, convention centers, cultural venues, airport lounges, and major events globally across 500 sites.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersIssy-les-Moulineaux, France
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Centerplate does
Sodexo Live! is the global hospitality brand of Sodexo SA (Euronext Paris: SW), formed in 1962 by Pierre Bellon. The division manages food, beverage, and hospitality services at iconic venues worldwide — stadiums and arenas, convention centers, cultural destinations, airport lounges, ski resorts, and major events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, Tour de France, and F1. Centerplate, a legacy U.S. venue hospitality provider, was acquired by Sodexo and its operations integrated into the Sodexo Live! brand. The business operates 500 sites across the U.S., Canada, France, U.K., and Hong Kong, employing 40,000 "Experience Makers" and serving 30,000+ events annually plus 41 million airport lounge travelers.
Core technology includes mobile ordering and self-serve kiosks, contactless payment systems, digital menu boards, integrated venue apps, the proprietary Site Management System (SMS) with predictive analytics, and WasteWatch food waste tracking. Differentiated culinary programs feature Michelin-starred chefs and named celebrity partners (Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne, Ethan Stowell, Marshall Faulk). Sub-brands include Bateaux Parisiens, Lenôtre, STH (sports travel hospitality), Batobus, Heritage Portfolio, and Yachts de Paris.
The business model is managed services: Sodexo Live! secures long-term, often exclusive, multi-year contracts directly with venue operators through enterprise field sales and RFP processes. Pricing is quote-based and venue-specific rather than publicly disclosed. Revenue streams encompass F&B operations, retail food service, VIP hospitality suites, event catering, and ticketing/hospitality packages. Named customers include the Las Vegas Convention Center, Orange County Convention Center, Seattle Mariners, Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Dolphins), American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, American Express, and the National Gallery of Art.
Centerplate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centerplate
- Legal name
- Sodexo SA
- Website
- https://sodexolive.us
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Sodexo Live!, the hospitality division of Sodexo SA and successor to Centerplate, provides managed food, beverage, and hospitality services at stadiums, convention centers, cultural venues, airport lounges, and major events globally across 500 sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centerplate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hospitality and Food Services
- NAICS
- Food Service Contractors (722310), Caterers (72232), Special Food Services (7223)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating) (MPAGALAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB), Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)
Keywords
Where Centerplate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Issy-les-Moulineaux
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Centerplate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Venue Management and Hospitality Services: Sodexo Live! generates revenue through long-term managed services contracts with venues, providing bespoke catering, sales, and event management services. Revenue comes from food and beverage operations, retail food service, VIP hospitality suites, and event catering across stadiums, convention centers, cultural destinations, airport lounges, and ski resorts.
- Ticketing and Hospitality Packages: Through STH (Sports Travel Hospitality), the company provides hospitality, travel, and accommodation packages for VIP guests at top-tier sporting events.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Centerplate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Centerplate, now operating as Sodexo Live!, provides managed food and beverage and hospitality services to venue operators under long-term exclusive contracts. Core offerings include culinary program design, custom menu development, concession and premium/VIP hospitality, retail food service, event catering, and event-day operations staffing for stadiums and arenas, convention centers, cultural destinations, airport lounges, ski resorts, and major events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics, Tour de France, and Formula 1.
Product overview
Sodexo Live! is a global hospitality company providing integrated food and beverage services across diverse venue types. The company operates a portfolio of branded sub-products including Bateaux Parisiens (Seine river cruises), Lenôtre (culinary arts school), STH (sports travel hospitality), Batobus (Parisian boat tours), Heritage Portfolio (UK venues), and Yachts de Paris. Core services span stadiums and arenas, convention centers, cultural destinations, airport lounges, ski resorts, and major events. The company combines culinary excellence with operational technology including mobile ordering, data analytics, and sustainability initiatives to deliver guest experiences at iconic venues worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bateaux Parisiens: Seine river boat tours offering dining experiences
- STH
- Lenôtre
- Batobus
- Heritage Portfolio
- Yachts de Paris
Products and services
- Stadiums and Arenas Food and Beverage End-to-end culinary and hospitality solutions for sports venues, including custom menus, celebrity chef partnerships, premium VIP hospitality suites, concession operations, mobile ordering, and self-serve kiosks.
- Convention Centers Catering Customized high-volume food and beverage services for corporate, association, and social events at convention and conference centers, including trend-forward menus and sustainability programs such as reusable wares.
- Cultural Destinations Hospitality Tailored culinary solutions for museums, concert halls, performing arts centers, zoos, and aquariums, including locally inspired menus, named-chef collaborations, and sustainable sourcing.
- Airport Lounges Services Premium food and beverage hospitality for airline and alliance lounges, including curated menus, live cooking stations, buffet dining, beverage programs, and predictive demand forecasting via the Site Management System (SMS).
- Ski Resorts Dining Food and beverage services for ski resorts, including grab-and-go, pop-ups, and fine dining options tailored to seasonal demand patterns.
- Major Events Catering Large-scale catering and hospitality for prestigious events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, Tour de France, French Open, Formula 1, and World Baseball Classic, using centralized kitchen prep and zone-based service models.
- Bateaux Parisiens Seine river cruise dining experience offering meals and entertainment aboard boats on the Seine in Paris.
- STH (Sports Travel Hospitality) Hospitality, travel, and accommodation packages for VIP guests at top-tier sporting events.
- Lenôtre Culinary arts school and pastry brand based in Paris offering professional culinary training programs, including the Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship recipient training.
- Batobus Hop-on hop-off boat service along the Seine in Paris visiting major tourist attractions.
- Heritage Portfolio Portfolio of heritage venues and hospitality services in the United Kingdom.
- Yachts de Paris Private yacht charter services for events and dining experiences on the Seine in Paris.
Quantifiable outcome
- 19 consecutive years on Dow Jones Sustainability World Index
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Centerplate
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Centerplate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
Centerplate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Seattle MarinersflagshipLong-term hospitality partnership at T-Mobile Park dating back to 1997, recently extended with new multi-year agreement. Sodexo Live! provides comprehensive food and beverage services for the MLB stadium.
- Mizzou Athletics / University of MissouricoreNew hospitality partner for Memorial Stadium, Mizzou Arena and all Mizzou Athletics venues, working with Upper Crust Food Service for local expertise.
- Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)flagshipExclusive hospitality partnership renewed for Las Vegas Convention Center, the 4.6 million-square-foot facility serving over 1 million attendees annually. Partnership began in 2017.
- Chef Ethan StowellcoreCulinary Consultant partnership with award-winning Seattle chef to shape and elevate Benaroya Hall's hospitality program, including menu development and seasonal offerings.
- The Music Center (Los Angeles)flagshipMulti-year hospitality partnership managing food and beverage across four venues: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theatre, and Mark Taper Forum. Includes catering by Chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne.
- Vancouver Convention CentrecoreExclusive food and beverage provider at the Vancouver Convention Centre, launching Friendlier reusable wares program.
- Orange County Convention CenterflagshipLong-standing food and beverage partnership at the OCCC in Orlando, one of the top convention centers in North America with 7 million square feet.
- STH (Sports Travel Hospitality)coreSTH provides hospitality, travel, and accommodation packages for VIP guests at top-tier sporting events. Sodexo Live! partners with STH for ticketing and hospitality services.
- JTB CorpcorePartnership with JTB Corp, Japan's leading travel solutions provider, for World Baseball Classic Experiences hospitality packages.
- Tour de FranceflagshipProud partners of Le Tour de France for more than 30 years, providing hospitality services at one of cycling's most prestigious events.
- Benaroya Hall / Seattle SymphonycoreCulinary collaboration bringing restaurant-quality dining and enhanced hospitality to Benaroya Hall.
- Chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne (The Lucques Group)coreJames Beard award-winning Chef and Restaurateur leading catering services and Founders' Rooms at The Music Center venues under Hope & Grand Events by Lucques brand.
- American AirlinescoreAirport lounge management partnership providing premium food and beverage services at American Airlines lounges globally.
- Cathay PacificcorePremium airport lounge hospitality services for Cathay Pacific travelers.
- Virgin AtlanticcoreAirport lounge management services for Virgin Atlantic passengers.
- American ExpresscorePartnership for American Express lounges, including the Star Alliance Lounge at LAX which won Best Alliance Lounge 2023.
- Air New ZealandminorPartnership through Star Alliance Lounge at LAX that was named Best Alliance Lounge 2023.
- National WWII MuseumcoreCultural destination partnership in New Orleans, delivering 7% revenue increase in one year.
- National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.)coreCultural destination partnership at the National Gallery of Art with award-winning culinary programs.
- Hollywood BowlflagshipLong-standing partnership at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with acclaimed food and wine program by Chef Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne.
- Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)coreCultural destination partnership at MSI with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and exceptional dining experiences.
- Mote Science Education (SEA)minorPartnership providing exceptional coffee and connecting mission-driven partners with purpose-driven venues.
- Bristol Mountain, Bromley, Jiminy Peak, Whiteface, Mount St Louis MoonstonecoreSki resort partnerships across North America providing food and beverage services at exceptional ski destinations.
- Lobster Ink / Culinary Institute of America / EcolabcoreProChef certification program partnership providing culinary training and career development for Sodexo Live! team members.
- Marshall FaulkminorNFL Hall of Famer serving as Chief Flavor Officer to infuse local New Orleans flavors into Caesars Superdome food and beverage experience.
- La Nena Cantina (Vicente Del Rio / Hospitality 70 Group)minorRestaurant partnership bringing modern Mexican dining to Walt Disney Concert Hall at The Music Center.
- Upper Crust Food ServicecoreColumbia-based partner bringing local expertise and deep community ties to complement Sodexo Live!'s global scale for Mizzou Athletics hospitality.
- Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience (LMHE)flagship15-year hospitality partnership for LMHE's full food and beverage program, emphasizing locally inspired menus and scalable service models.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Centerplate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Oak View Group: Venue development and hospitality management firm operating arena F&B programs; emerging direct competitor to Sodexo Live! in the stadiums and arenas vertical, particularly for new-build venues.
Direct peers
- Plaza Premium Group: Independent global airport lounge operator providing F&B and hospitality services; directly comparable in the airport lounge segment where Sodexo Live! serves 170+ lounges.
- Delaware North: Privately held hospitality and food service company operating at sports venues, airports, national parks, and entertainment destinations; closely comparable venue-concession and managed-services model.
- Levy Restaurants (Compass Group): Specialist division of Compass Group providing premium hospitality at sports and entertainment venues; competes head-to-head for stadium and arena F&B contracts and chef-driven premium hospitality.
- Legends Hospitality: Hospitality partner to professional sports franchises (Yankee Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Tottenham) for premium F&B, merchandise, and venue services; directly competes in stadium arena segment.
- Restaurant Associates (Compass Group): Specialty contract caterer for cultural institutions, museums, corporate dining, and special events; overlaps with Sodexo Live!'s cultural destinations and convention/event catering verticals.
- Aramark: Direct competitor across stadium, arena, convention center, and major-event food and beverage concessions in North America; closest comparable in venue hospitality scale and contract-driven managed services.
Broad incumbents
- Hilton Worldwide (airport lounge / hospitality): Operates airport lounge-style hospitality adjacent to Sodexo Live!'s airport lounge vertical and offers broader lodging/hospitality; comparable in venue-side guest experience execution.
- Compass Group / Eurest: Largest contract caterer globally; overlaps with Sodexo Live! across sports, leisure, and workplace catering; broader portfolio but competes for the same venue RFPs through its Levy and Eurest brands.
Others
- Centerplate: Historically a leading North American venue hospitality provider (convention centers, stadiums); was acquired by Sodexo and its operations integrated into Sodexo Live!, making it a legacy/former-direct peer rather than a current competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Centerplate social profiles
Digital presenceCenterplate compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Centerplate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centerplate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Centerplate subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Centerplate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Centerplate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Centerplate
What does Centerplate do?
Centerplate, now operating as Sodexo Live!, provides managed food and beverage and hospitality services to venue operators under long-term exclusive contracts. Core offerings include culinary program design, custom menu development, concession and premium/VIP hospitality, retail food service, event catering, and event-day operations staffing for stadiums and arenas, convention centers, cultural destinations, airport lounges, ski resorts, and major events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics, Tour de France, and Formula 1.
Is Centerplate a public or private company?
Centerplate is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Centerplate founded?
Centerplate was founded in 1962. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Centerplate based?
Centerplate is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, in the Europe region.
How does Centerplate make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Venue Management and Hospitality Services are the primary driver. The others are ticketing and Hospitality Packages.
Who are Centerplate's main competitors?
Oak View Group is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Plaza Premium Group, Delaware North, Levy Restaurants (Compass Group), Legends Hospitality, Restaurant Associates (Compass Group) and Aramark. Broad incumbents are Hilton Worldwide (airport lounge / hospitality) and Compass Group / Eurest. Centerplate is listed as an others.
Does Centerplate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centerplate.
What industry is Centerplate in?
Centerplate's product category is Hospitality and Food Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAN, Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating), with a secondary code of THAHAKAB, Conference & Convention Center Catering. Its NAICS code is 722310 and its SIC code is 5810.