With more than 28,000kgs of strawberries and 200,000 glasses of Pimms consumed at the All England Club during Wimbledon fortnight, it's easy to see why it's the largest single annual catering event in Europe.

The food and drink is provided by Facilities Management Catering, who have around 1,800 staff working at Wimbledon. The quantity served by them is huge:

• 300,000 cups of tea and coffee
• 250,000 bottles of water
• 207,000 meals
• 200,000 glasses of Pimm’s
• 190,000 sandwiches
• 150,000 bath buns, scones, pastries and doughnuts
• 200,000 glasses of Pimm’s
• 135,000 ice creams
• 100,000 pints of draught beer and lager
• 32,000 portions of fish and chips
• 30,000 litres of milk
• 28,000 kg (112,000 punnets) of English strawberries - with no price change this year
• 23,000 bananas
• 22,000 slices of pizza
• 20,000 portions of frozen yoghurt
• 20,000 bottles of champagne
• 12,000 kg of poached salmon and smoked salmon
• 7,000 litres of dairy cream

Wimbledon is synonymous with strawberries and these are picked at a farm, usually in Kent, the day before being served, arrive at Wimbledon at around 5.30am where they are inspected before being hulled.

They cost £2.50 for no less than 10 berries and cream this year, and the prices have changed as follows:

• Price for a portion of a minimum of 10 strawberries and cream at Wimbledon
  1990 - £1.60; 1991 - £1.65; 1992 - £1.65; 1993 - £1.70; 1994 - £1.70; 1995 - £1.75; 1996 - £1.80; 1997 - £1.85; 1998 - £1.85; 1999 - £1.75; 2000 - £1.80; 2001 - £1.85; 2002 - £1.95; 2003 - £2.00; 2004 - £2.00; 2005 - £2.00; 2006 - £2.00; 2007 - £2.00; 2008 - £2.25; 2009 - £2.25; 2010 – £2.50; 2011- £2.50.

June 19, 2011