Sodexo Live! has been appointed as Edinburgh Zoo’s catering and hospitality partner following a competitive tender process.
Its specialist events catering brand, Heritage Portfolio, will enhance the visitor experience with a dedicated core team based in Edinburgh.
This partnership marks the start of a new chapter in Edinburgh Zoo’s food and beverage offering, with a strong emphasis on quality, consistency, and alignment with the values and mission of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which operates the zoo.
Together, Edinburgh Zoo and Sodexo Live! will develop a distinctive on-site food culture that champions Scottish ingredients, supports local producers, and enhances the overall visitor experience.
Guided by a food and beverage strategy rooted in conservation, community, and engagement, the team’s early priorities will include improving quality and consistency across the site, refreshing menus with seasonal produce in collaboration with local suppliers, and embedding a service culture that reflects the zoo’s educational and conservation values.
Joining Sodexo Live!’s portfolio of iconic Scottish partners, including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Hampden Park, this collaboration will celebrate and enhance Edinburgh Zoo’s distinctive identity, making food and drink an integral part of its visitor experience.
Claire Morris, CEO of Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland, said: “Edinburgh Zoo is a world-class visitor attraction, and this partnership gives us the unique opportunity to really transform the catering offering to reflect RZSS’s vision. By positioning Edinburgh Zoo as a place of global exploration and education – a living classroom for all – we want to create a sense of culinary adventure and discovery through exciting, diverse global flavours aligned to the animals’ natural habitats. We want our food to be more than just a service – we want it to add joy and make visitors’ zoo experience even more immersive and meaningful.”
Ben Supple, RZSS Deputy Chief Executive, said: “We want to provide visitors to Edinburgh Zoo with the very best experience as this will encourage more people to learn about and protect our natural world. Catering is an essential part of that, and we are looking forward to working in partnership with the Sodexo Live! and Heritage Portfolio team to develop an exceptional offer which celebrates local, high quality and sustainable produce.”
The collaboration represents a genuinely local partnership, combining the Sodexo Live! team’s extensive Scottish hospitality expertise with RZSS’s mission to “protect, value and love nature.” Inspired by the zoo’s animals and their habitats, the ‘Feeding Natural Curiosity’ philosophy will guide menu development, emphasising global flavours, from-scratch cooking, zero-waste initiatives, and community partnerships.
Sodexo Live! delivers world-class hospitality and food services to some of the UK’s most iconic music, cultural, and sporting events, as well as conference centres and airport lounges. Known for producing outstanding catering and event experiences, the company serves prestigious venues across Britain, offering experiences that go far beyond exceptional food.
Globally, its partners include The Scottish Open, Royal Ascot, the Tour de France, and renowned venues such as the Eiffel Tower Restaurants, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Hard Rock Stadium, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.