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Venues NSW has announced that the Gema Group has been appointed as catering provider at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium.

The partnership will see popular producers, restaurants and brands available at McDonald Jones Stadium next season, including:

• Uprising Bakery: The Hunter’s famous bakery. 
• Hunter Valley premium meats: Local Newcastle supplier of premium and award-winning meats. 
• Sushi Hub: Japanese sushi and sashimi. 
• Oakberry: Brazilian acai bowls, the number one acai brand in the world.

In addition to these famous brands, the stadium will be reimagined to offer traditional stadium favourites, including hot dogs, hot chips, pies, rice bowls, tacos, nachos, gozleme, fish and chips, souvlaki, falafel, pizza by the slice and plant-based burgers.

Newcastle Knights and Jets colours, logos and marquee players will also be displayed across food and beverage packaging, ensuring the ultimate home ground advantage

Welcoming the contract win, Gema Group Managing Director, Paul Valenti stated “we’re partnering with local businesses to bring some of the best flavours of the Hunter into McDonald Jones Stadium.”

Venues NSW Chief Executive, Kerrie Mather added “this is a game-changing partnership for McDonald Jones Stadium that will take the food and beverage offering to a whole new level.

“We’re excited to partner with the Gema Group to give fans an elevated dining experience and a taste of the Hunter while watching the Knights, Jets, international concerts or other major events at the venue from next year.

Gema Group’s selection as the exclusive hospitality experience partner follows a competitive tender process run under the NSW Government procurement framework.

The Western Sydney company has vast major event experience in Australia across Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, Repco Supercars Championship, Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix and LIV Golf. Gema Group also has strong stadium experience and is in-house at Industree Group Stadium on the Central Coast, Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast, GIO Stadium in Canberra, and 4 Pines and PointsBet Stadiums in Sydney.

Already a leading employer in the Hunter/Central Coast through its stadium and major event partnerships, Gema Group will aim to source the majority of its produce locally and bring a fresh approach to stadium sustainability and innovation. 

Venues NSW is currently undertaking major upgrades underway at McDonald Jones Stadium, including two new videoboards, LED signage, new grandstand seating, and turnstile upgrades, all focused on creating a positive step change and improvement in the customer experience.

Image: McDonald Jones Stadium.

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