Global Infusion Group appoints Tim Young as Managing Director
Event, catering and brand logistics specialist Global Infusion Group has appointed Tim Young as its new managing director.
Global Infusion Group (GIG) has successfully crossed the finish line at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku 2017, having overseen the catering for more than 3,400 athletes from 53 countries across the two-week sporting event.
GIG partnered with Azerbaijani company Fresh Catering MMC for the latest high profile sporting event, after GIG’s huge success at the London 2012 and Rio Olympic Games.
It was the second-time GIG and Fresh Catering have worked together following a successful partnership for the 2015 European Games, where they ensured delivery of meals for several of the large stadiums.
The 2017 challenge was to manage the entire food and beverage operation for the Games, in Baku, Azerbaijan, from May 12 – 22. This multinational, multi-sport event required menus to be built around the varying athletes needs and home tastes, including Asian, Middle Eastern and African cuisines, as well as those of the event’s workforce.
Seventeen members of the GIG team were seconded to the project, resulting in more than 180,000 meals being served across the athletes’ village and 16 competition venues around Baku, in Azerbaijan.
GIG was able to source 70% of its produce locally – including seven tonnes of lamb, five tonnes of beef and four tonnes of fish – as well as employing and training 535 local people to work as chefs, service staff and back of house.
Bonnie May, GIG’s Global Operations Director, said: “Our performance at the Games has underpinned our growing reputation for providing high quality catering for huge numbers of competitors and support staff at major international sporting events. To manage the highly complex logistics involved in the process, the GIG team spent many weeks in Baku ahead of the Games meticulously planning the catering and staffing requirements, working alongside our colleagues at Fresh.”
David Mories, Senior Manager of the Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee, thanked the GIG team and support staff. He said: “You played a significant part in the delivery of the catering services, and your team were immense. Putting in long hours, lots of last minute changes were dealt with professionally and the work ethic was well received by myself and my team. I wish you all the best for future events.”
GIG also took on a full audit of food safety across the supply chain, training staff to Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Food Safety standards.
The success of their consultancy and support of Fresh has led to them being appointed to project manage their Formula 1 contract to deliver in excess of 100,000 meals for the grand prix at Baku City Circuit later this month.