VOL 26 ISSUE 37, Sept. 15, 2025
Wembley Stadium in London, where Delaware North serves as hospitality and foodservice provider, hosted 10 sold-out Coldplay concerts in August and September, breaking the record for the most shows by one artist on a single tour at the venue, surpassing the previous mark of eight established by Taylor Swift in 2024.
Delaware North U.K. played a pivotal role in bringing Coldplay’s “Music of Spheres” world tour to life, including through massive sustainability achievements.
Coldplay’s global run has been branded as a climate-conscious tour, allowing Delaware North to trial new sustainable initiatives and alternatives for food and beverage processes throughout the venue, building on the ever-growing green practices already in place.
Wembley Stadium is an ISO 20121 international standard certified stadium for event sustainability management. It has been a zero-waste-to-landfill venue since 2010, which Delaware North has supported from a food and beverage perspective.
Biodegradable packaging
Delaware North replaced all cardboard packaging with 400,000 variants of biodegradable Notpla packaging, made from 100% seaweed coating, used throughout concessions. In 2022, Notpla received the prestigious Earthshot Prize for “Build a Waste-Free World.” The Earthshot Prize was founded in 2021 by Prince William and the Royal Foundation to celebrate innovations with the power to repair and regenerate our planet.
Food and beverage
Above: Delaware North used Notpla packaging throughout concessions, which offers a range of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, made primarily from seaweed plants. Pictured above are plant-based menu items, including the Dirty Beets Burger, halloumi skewers and a vegan hot dog.
Delaware North is committed to offering vegan or vegetarian options for Wembley fans at each kiosk – from hot dogs and burgers to nachos and kebabs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Coldplay menu highlights include several plant-based options and a special drink:
- Marinated halloumi skewers with house slaw, kachumber, pomegranate seeds, garlic mayo, and chili sauce served with wedges and a side salad at The Butcher’s Block on Level 2.
- Dirty Beets Burger, a falafel patty in a red beetroot bun with vegan cheese, avocado, pickled red onion and burger relish.
- A vegan hot dog served with fresh pineapple salsa, chipotle mayo and spring onions.
- Cocktail of the Spheres: A Dirty Shirley cocktail topped with three different flavors of boba, garnished with lemon or lime.
All PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles for soft drinks and water were replaced with Tetra Pak packaging and aluminum alternatives. While all plastic that comes into the stadium is made from fully recycled materials and is recycled again, the Coldplay sustainability rider presented Delaware North with new ways to help achieve zero-waste-to-landfill.
Draft Top Pro
Through a joint investment with the English Football Association, nearly 300 units of the commercial Draft Top Pro machine were purchased to support the concessions operation on Levels 1, 2 and 5 at Wembley Stadium. With its innovative design, the machine removes the top of any standard can, transforming it into a smooth, “topless” vessel, removing the need for a cup.
All soft drinks, wines, canned beers and ciders, ready-to-drink mixers, cocktails, and non-alcoholic alternatives were exchanged for an aluminum option. Delaware North team members then used Draft Top Pro machines to serve guests. Approximately 70,000 aluminum cans are processed per night through the Draft Top Pro machines.
Through introducing the Draft Top Pro technology alongside a new “crack and go” policy, Delaware North U.K. removed the need for plastic cups and created a fully recyclable, aluminum-only drinks service.
Infinitely recyclable cups
In addition, draught beer and cocktails were served in reusable cups, with collateral featured for fans throughout the stadium to encourage recycling – 400,000 units were purchased as part of this initiative, all of which are infinitely recyclable.
Laurent Perrier also provided exclusively branded reusable champagne flutes for guests who purchased a bottle of champagne.
Above: All kiosks were rebranded with a galaxy-inspired design to fit the theme of Coldplay’s “Music of Spheres” tour branding. Other small touches such as greaseproof paper, menu cards and staff uniforms were updated for the Coldplay shows.
“Coldplay’s record-breaking residency at Wembley Stadium gave us the chance to trial new and different ways of reaching our sustainability goals,” said Lewis Blake, head of concessions at Wembley Stadium for Delaware North. “From introducing Notpla packaging and Draft Top Pro, to introducing infinitely recyclable aluminum cups, these initiatives have allowed us to explore new innovative approaches while continuing to deliver a first-class food and drink experience to fans. We’re proud that Wembley is showcasing how large-scale events can be both world-class and sustainable.”