Green space hospitality blueprint update

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This article was published 21/02/2025 (421 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two years after opening its Leaf horticulture attraction, Assiniboine Park Conservancy is taking steps to inject some innovation and high-end professional chops into its food and beverage operations.

The conservancy has entered into a 10-year partnership with Levy Canada, a division of U.K.-based Compass Group, a major player in the institutional foodservice business. Terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.

Levy currently runs food and beverage operations at major attractions across North America, including the Toronto Zoo, Rogers Place in Edmonton (home of the NHL’s Oilers) and the REAL District in Regina.

The Winnipeg arrangement will encompass operations of the Park Café (in the Qualico Family Centre), Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar, Leaf Coffee Bar, and Tundra Grill and concessions at the zoo, as well as banquet and event operations at all those venues plus the Pavilion.

Assiniboine Park Conservancy CEO Ray Karasevich and Joshua Moore, regional executive chef at Levy Canada, said all current staff — some 30 full-time and 300 part-time — would retain their positions and none would experience any downgrade in pay and/or benefits.

“There will be absolutely no job loss as a result of any of this,” Karasevich said Friday. “One-hundred per cent of the staff will be offered comparable opportunities with Levy.”

It’s not exactly clear just how much operational authority Levy Canada will have. Karasevich said APC will have final say on things like menus, hours and potential future capital investment.

“We set up a partnership that has shared incentives for both parties,” he said. “It will be good for APC and Levy.”

Levy will also take over operation of the conservancy’s two retail locations (at the Leaf and zoo).

The arrangement also includes the potential for further capital investment. Karasevich said there are no plans to move from any of the current food and beverage locations, but suggested the venues might be altered or expanded.

For instance, he said there’s already some thinking about pop-up venues and the use of small mobile concession trucks Levy has used at other venues.

However, he insisted the partnership will not result in a feel the Winnipeg park will be over-commercialized.

“It’s not going to be like at a baseball game, where vendors are shouting ‘Get your hot dogs here,’” he said. “We are committed to a balance.

“We feel there are ways to pursue growth that park-goers will want, but without compromising on their ability to have those moments of quiet contemplation.”

The Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s food and beverage operations generated close to $18 million of the park’s $54 million in revenue.

Karasevich said a conservative forecast is those revenues will increase by at least 30 per cent over the course of the contract with Levy, likely adding up to 75 additional full-time equivalent positions.

Moore insisted as diversified and well-resourced as Levy is, it takes pains to choose who it partners with.

“Like any other business, we look for opportunities to grow, but we are very intentional when it comes to the partners we approach. We have very similar approaches to our people as APC does,” said Moore.

“We try to deliver the best possible guest experience and a big focus is to ensure we are the best possible partner to the community we’re in and the partner we’re working with.”

Moore suggested it’s not likely to see much change in menus for the spring and summer seasons, as those have already been planned in advance.

Levy has an in-house data analytics division that will be deployed to help decide on enhancements and future menu developments. Moore said it’s also used to identify upcoming trends

“We don’t want to be reactive. It allows us make pro-active decisions in terms of menu creation, to make sure we use up-and-coming, sustainable ingredients,” he said. “It gives us a sort of holistic ecosystem about how we address things from a culinary perspective.”

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca