The WA Football Commission (WAFC) is inviting West Australian food producers, growers and suppliers to express their interest in becoming exclusive suppliers of specialty food items for Patersons Stadium

In a media release issued today, the WAFC said its catering partner Delaware North will launch a “new food experience” at Patersons Stadium featuring menus that will “deliver international food trends with West Australian food flavours”.

“The WAFC’s desire to raise the bar for the food experience at Patersons Stadium reflects global trends, with consumers expecting high standards of catering service and food,” the commission said.

“Delaware North will use its experience in serving 500 million guests at 200 stadiums and venues across the world to rebrand and upgrade all the Patersons Stadium retail outlets and vastly improve the game day and non-game day catering.”

An Expression of Interest document is now being distributed throughout the WA food industry, with responses sought by 12 December 2014.

Food categories in the Expression of Interest include poultry, red meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, baked goods and other WA products.

The selected exclusive suppliers will supply products across retail outlets, corporate hospitality suites and functions rooms, servicing more than one million people each year.

Patersons Stadium General Manager Gavin Taylor said the partnership with Delaware North and the move to appoint new WA suppliers to the venue was a “huge commercial and promotional opportunity for the local food sector”.

“Delaware North is bringing a global perspective to our operations, and by combining their experience with premium Western Australian ingredients, visitors will enjoy a diverse menu and quality of retail food not previously available at Patersons Stadium,” Taylor said.

“Our aim is to provide a high quality food and beverage experience for all fans that offers variety yet has a real focus on the great flavours of Western Australia.”

“WA has some of the best produce in Australia and this will be a great way to showcase a uniquely WA food experience to both locals and also to the Stadium’s interstate and international visitors.”

The WAFC said it was working with the WA Government’s food labelling program, Buy West Eat Best, to ensure that the Expression of Interest reaches food suppliers who can supply a “quality guaranteed 100 per cent Western Australian product”.

The Buy West Eat Best program is managed by the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia and the Buy West Eat Best logo means consumers can be assured that they are buying food that has been grown, farmed, fished and produced in WA.