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On the menu for 2010

In 2010, as we all know, the world is going to descend on South Africa for Soccer World Cup, and we’ll either crash in a welter of infrastructural disasters, or cope like superstars and be everyone’s darling for another few years.

What we want to know is: who is going to feed the world? And what does the world eat?

According to the South African Food & Beverage Reporter, an estimated 1 674 tons of protein, 173 tons of bread and a further 274 tons of rolls, 86 tons of confectionary and 948 tons of French fries will be needed to feed around 330 000 visitors. In all, it will add up to around 11 000 tons of food. Oh, and we’ll need around 14 million litres of beverages.

Whether local producers will be able to cope with demand – and whether suppliers will manage to keep these vast amounts of food from spoiling – remains to be seen.

What is certain, however, is that many of the visitors who plan to stay for the entire 42-day event will check in a little heavier on their way back home. As is the case with most major sports events, fat-laden junk food, sugar-loaded drinks and sweets rule (and we’re not even going to discuss the alcohol).

Business market intelligence company BMI estimates that the average stay of a visitor will be 10 days. Thus, there will be about 98 000 visitors at any time during the event. Add 5% to this number for South Africans travelling to the matches, and you get an idea of what we will be dealing with, city by city.

Breakfast
If 20% of the visitors eat a full breakfast every morning during their stay, 34,5% an English breakfast and the remainder a continental version, or tea and coffee only, we’ll be needing:

  • 116,5 tons of cereals
  • 93,2 tons of bread
  • 69,9 tons of bacon
  • 4,7 million eggs
  • 311 777 litres of milk
  • 116 510 litres of yoghurt

Lunch
Meal options in the stadiums will be limited to burgers, pies, snacks, confectionery and beverages. Sixty-four matches are to be played, with an average of 42 500 spectators per match. BMI assumes that 95% of them will eat and drink during the match.

BMI points out that in compiling the statistics, they only focused on major food types and that all numbers are assumptions based on figures from the initial projections done by the Bid Committee that presented for the World Cup to be held in SA.

Happy hour
It is furthermore assumed that 60% of the tourists will participate in post-game "happy-hour" consumption, but that only 20% will eat.

We’re looking at:

  • around 4,5 million litres of alcohol
  • 3,2 million litres of soft drinks
  • 2,5 million litres of coffee and tea
  • 331 564 litres of milk, and
  • 174 890 litres of sports drinks

- (Food & Beverage Reporter, Health24, updated January 2009)

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