Sporting Kansas City was recently recognized by QSR Magazine and the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) as runner-up in the Excellence in Brand Delivery category at the 2023 Foodservice Packaging Awards.
The accolade honors Sporting Kansas City's new custom-designed packaging at Children's Mercy Park concessions and premium spaces for the 2023 Major League Soccer season as part of a five-year partnership with global packaging leader Huhtamaki.
"Huhtamaki has helped to bring innovative, distinctive and sustainable food and beverage packaging to Sporting Kansas City," said Sporting Kansas City Vice President of Hospitality Marc Mulherin. "Through Sporting Kansas City and Huhtamaki's collaboration, we have created personalized packaging with a sleek design and overall eye appealing element for all guests. This ongoing partnership will continually allow us to grow and find ways to be forward-thinking in our packaging design and layout. This partnership will also help our organization strive to be a sustainability leader within the community and professional sports world."
The partnership between Sporting Kansas City and Huhtamaki is centered on a shared commitment to championing a legacy of sustainability. Together, the companies are striving to further reduce the environmental footprint of stadium operations at Children’s Mercy Park by integrating Huhtamaki’s innovative products, with the goal of limiting waste by moving towards compostable and recyclable products while also establishing strategic messaging campaigns to increase awareness of compostable practices.
For nearly two decades, FPI and QSR have partnered in bi-annual awards to recognize innovation and creativity in the foodservice packaging industry. The award recipients were celebrated during FPI’s fall conference in Pittsburgh and featured prominently in the November issue of QSR Magazine.
“We congratulate all the winners and thank everyone who took part in this year’s competition. The winners’ products are being honored in categories that feature innovative design, thoughtful material usage, convenience or overall effectiveness in delivering brands to consumers,” said Natha Dempsey, president of FPI. “These award-winning packages illustrate the power of design in influencing customer purchasing decisions while also increasing product performance in foodservice packaging.”
