FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS
Hometown pride takes a walk on the wild side for OVG Hospitality’s latest
new flavors that will make every trip to the concessions as memorable as the ac- tion on the field.” 1. LOADED FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT SRP PARK IN AUGUSTA, GA. Did you know that green tomatoes ar- en’t a special variety? They’re just un- ripe! Augusta GreenJackets fans can crunch into these golden-fried green tomatoes, taking a page out of nachos’ book and getting layered with melted cheese, smoky bacon and a tangy sauce. 2. Buffalo Chicken Fries at Momen - tum Bank Ballpark in Midland, TX Buffalo sauce’s trail to becoming a fa- vorite flavor nationwide is a spicy one, harkening back to New York State, but made totally Texan here at the home of the Midland Rockhounds. The souvenir helmet-shaped basket (not pictured but available at the ballpark) brims with crispy chicken tossed in the buff sauce and dropped onto a bed of fries, topped with a bleu cheese drizzle. 3. Deep Fried Pizza at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, SC When the Hub City Spartanburgers take the field, lucky fans will already be hold - ing a piece of this Deep Fried Heaven, stuffed with gooey mozzarella, pepper- oni and marinara sauce with a dash of parmesan to really cover all the bases. 4. Memphis Dog at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn. Memphis barbecue is very much its own thing, known for its dry rubs and thinner tomato-vinegar BBQ sauces, often using hickory smoke. Those famous flavors come together for this bacon-wrapped hot dog, part of OVG Hospitality’s Hot Dog Roundup Menu, topped with sharp cheddar, Memphis BBQ sauce and two kinds of onions — green and white. 5. Tater Tot Flight at Jackson Field in Lansing, Mich. This could be our favorite high-low combination of the season, blending a fancied-up flight presentation with the
Minor League Baseball eats
The Denver-based food and beverage division of Oak View Group, which serves 20% of all Minor League Baseball parks, has come out with a menu that captures that small-town magic with a section dedicated to outrageous local gems, over-the-top sandwiches and special mega-curated hot dog lineups for each unique ballpark loca- tion across the U.S.
BY TARA FITZPATRICK
T he bases are loaded and so are the fried green tomatoes. Mi- nor League Baseball’s small- town charm is rounding the bases at quite a few ballparks served by OVG Hospitality, including the newly opened Fifth Third Park, home of the Hub City Spartanburgers, and Synovus Park, the new home of the Columbus Clingstones. “Our culinary lineup for the 2025 sea- son is all about celebrating the unique flavors of each community,” said Joe Hudson, VP of Food and Beverage for Diamond Baseball Holdings, OVG Hos- pitality’s partner on MiLB accounts. “From Hickory’s Carolina Slaw Dog to Columbus’ Peach Cobbler Custard, these dishes reflect the pride and tastes that
make each ballpark special. Working alongside OVG Hospitality, we’re ex- cited to bring these hometown-inspired creations to life for fans to enjoy while they cheer on their teams.” At a time when experiences are emerging as what consumers want more than anything, the ballpark is a great staging area for summertime memories, with food as the MVP. “Great food is a major part of the live baseball experience, and we’re committed to delivering innovative, high-quality offerings that excite fans at the ballparks we support across North America,” said Ken Gaber, President of OVG Hospitality. “This year, we’re pushing the boundaries further, making the classic even better and introducing
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QUARTERLY | Q2
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