‘Our bread and butter’: Olympic Park food trucks issue plea after contract change

Family businesses that have sold food and drink in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct fear they will either need to increase prices or walk away following a major contract change.

Food trucks serving fans at the Ampol State of Origin Game 3 at Accor Stadium. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The final whistle could be sounding for food trucks at Sydney Olympic Park, with owners fearing they will be squeezed out or forced to hike prices due to a new commercial agreement at the entertainment precinct.

This week’s State of Origin decider was the last fixture for dozens of small businesses to trade under long-time partner Integral Events. Venues NSW and the Sydney Olympic Park Trust are working to reassign this work to Gema Group, which also holds the major hospitality contract inside Accor Stadium.

The truck owners currently pay fees of between 17.5 per cent and 22.5 per cent on all sales. In comparison, Gema Group’s maximum rate is 28 per cent, although this is generally applied to stall holders with prime positions in the precinct.

Standing outside his pizza truck on Wednesday night – Antonio Sabia told The Daily Telegraph: “This food truck is 90 per cent of our trade. And we rely heavily on the major sporting events and concerts at Accor.

Antonio Sabia said the small businesses had not been informed if they would be required to work for the next major event, the Wallabies v Lions Test on August 2. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“They are our bread and butter.

“We worry the new operator may decide to reduce the number of trucks.”

“The Wallabies and Lions Test match is meant to be our next big night (August 2), and we don’t even know yet if we are going to work. You can’t organise a roster for your staff.

“It’s really sad – we’ve all been here for a long time,” he said.

“Also, if our fees do go up we may have to increase our prices. Otherwise, it’s just going to be too hard to make money.”

Another small business owner, who has run their food truck for more than two decades, said they “hadn’t slept in weeks” over the uncertainty.

“We truly fear this could be the end. My business partners have already decided to sell one truck.

“We have previously been so secure at Sydney Olympic Park, it is our livelihood” the operator, who asked not to be named, claimed.

The immensely popular food trucks at Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday night before State of Origin III. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The Daily Telegraph put a range of questions to the state government on behalf of the concerned small businesses on Thursday.

In a statement, Venues NSW said: “There have been no conversations about increasing fees”, insisting the trucks will remain “a key part of the experience of attending a major event”.

“We do not anticipate the new management model will have any effect on existing commercial arrangements with food truck operators,” Venues NSW said, adding the number of trucks “will be based on the expected crowd sizes”.

Much of the uncertainty is the result of both the Sydney Olympic Park Authority and Venues NSW failing to finalise the contract change from Integral Events to Gema Group, leaving the new operators unable to negotiate fresh deals with the small business owners.

A separate food truck operator issued this plea: “We simply ask the new management to remember – nearly every food truck here is a family company.

“We employ our kids, our brothers and sisters, our partners and our cousins.

“Please don’t forget that.”

Originally published as ‘Our bread and butter’: Olympic Park food trucks issue plea after contract change