SPRING | FEATURE
remember exactly where we were in 2005 when they announced that London had won the bid . That was massive for us ; Tony was absolutely adamant we were going to be part of it . That was a very strategic piece for us ; to really look at the sporting world , grow the business , and move premisses .”
Every job comes with its own challenges but among those that May will never forget was the Spice Girls first gig in Istanbul in October 1997 : “ There were hundreds of people landing in the city to do the show , and shopping for them in Istanbul was a major challenge . They didn ' t have supermarkets , so I had to shop in markets and take two burly security guards with me because at the time we had to carry cash and so we were walking around with tens of thousands of pounds on us , going to market stalls and buying up all their produce .
“ The rain in Istanbul was torrential and the traffic was gridlocked , so it took us ages to get anywhere . When we finally got back with the van , we were busy arranging all the food when the nearby riverbank broke and the whole lot got washed away . You couldn ' t make it up !”
Clearly every territory and customer has its idiosyncrasies but overall the duo has , thankfully , seen the food acquisition process change dramatically for the better . Shelley- Smith recalls a show by Black Sabbath in Moscow in the late 1980s , for which the caterer had to purchase lettuce by the leaf and whole animals that had to cut up later .
It ’ s all a long way from the ultraefficient global business the duo oversees today , not least the new HQ with its state-of-the-art Central Production Unit , kitchen , and vast multi-tier racking system that enables the company to service all its brand
The Love-Bot
On tour with Coldplay
logistics clients including Red Bull .
While there is much to look back on and be proud of , the bosses are clearly set on driving Eat To The Beat forward and expanding it yet further in the US , Middle East and closer to home .
Says May , “ We have the ability within the structure to grow the business , particularly the sporting piece and e2b logistics – this building gives us the ability to grow that business by 100 %.”
Despite the hugely positive momentum , the duo is quick to point out that Tony Laurenson remains hugely missed , and his influence lives on .
“ Mary and I have worked for such a long time together , and so well together with different skill sets , but Tony ’ s energy was of a scale that I don ' t think , even combined , we can achieve ,” says May .
Smiling in agreement , Shelley- Smith reflects , “ I remember Tony met some guys on a plane once that was stuck on a runway . By the time the plane got fixed , he had secured a massive contract for the company .”
“ We look forward to many more years of incredible catering , and on behalf of all our crews thanks Bonnie and her wonderful team for keeping us fed and watered around the world .” – Creative Technology SVP Sports and Entertainment Dave Crump
“ Congratulations Eat To The Beat on 40 amazing years . I must have worked with them for pretty much all of that time . Glastonbury was one of the big jobs we did together , and I remember all the cakes they used to bake for my birthday , which was always during the festival .” – EnTEEtainment MD Dick Tee
“ I literally travelled the world with Tony . We went to places that I have never been to since and I wouldn ' t enjoy them as much without him . Every single moment with Tony was a joy .” – ES Global joint CEO Jeff Burke
“ Mary and Bonnie are amazing , unflappable , women . They are a marvellous pair of people . Happy anniversary Eat To The Beat .” – Serious Stages MD Steven Corfield
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