Abu Dhabi Airports has awarded four world-class food and beverage (F&B) retailers the concessionaire contracts for Abu Dhabi Airports’ Midfield Terminal Building (MTB).

The contracts were presented to Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR), HMSHost International, Lagardère Capital, and SSP.
 
Once operational the MTB will constitute a number of world first exclusives in terms of its F&B offering, including celebrity chef inspired outlets, unique to Abu Dhabi International Airport. These innovative ideas will be spread across 11,300-sq-m of dining space in the MTB.

“The F&B offering at the MTB will challenge the very perception of F&B retailing in an airport environment thus far and will set the benchmark for dining concepts moving forward. Bearing in mind the wide demographic that we will be catering to, we are thrilled with the pioneering, avant-garde approaches that we have been able to gather together under one roof,” said Eng. Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports.
 
Over 80 concessionaires submitted more than 250 brands to Abu Dhabi Airports when the process began in April 2015. Bidders were required to produce spectacular and innovative ideas that would put an emphasis on enhancing passenger experience above all else. Solutions outlining authentic, technological and sustainable details were sought, which would reflect Abu Dhabi’s renowned hospitality, to further cement the capital’s status as a top-tier destination.
 
“The four main concept pillars that we outlined for the bidders were: experiential dining – adding experience to the occasion; customisation – giving customers the chance to interact and be involved with the end product; casualisation – providing familiar yet outstanding dining environments, whilst offering a wide menu selection; and personalisation – present brands that resonate with diners and make a personal connection. In addition, we challenged bidders to capture the essence of Arabian hospitality. The winning concessionaires were those that had demonstrated their ability to deliver on the vision behind it all: providing spectacular ideas that will translate into sensational experiences, and exceeding the expectations of our business partners and customers alike,” Al Mazrouei added.  
 
ELR currently operates over 260 F&B outlets (including 75 at 13 airports) with growing operations across the Middle East and Australasia. They bring a deep understanding of both the local UAE market as well as international airport operations, with concessions in Dubai, Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore Airports.
 
HMSHost International is a world leader in creating shopping and dining for travel venues as part of the Autogrill Group, the world leading provider of F&B for people on the move. Through its HMSHost International division the company has F&B operations in 18 European and another 21 airports across the Middle East, Asia and Pacific, and is responsible for bringing more than 250 brands to market.
 
Lagardère Capital, a joint venture between Lagardère Travel Retail, a division of Lagardère Group, and Abu Dhabi Capital Group, marries expertise in global travel retail and a deep-seated understanding of Abu Dhabi’s heritage. Lagardère Travel Retail is a pioneering global leader in the travel industry, operating 4,000 stores across travel essentials, duty free and food service in airports, railway stations and other concessions in 30+ countries worldwide. In food service in particular, the company operates 780 outlets in 17 countries, in 73 airports and has over 30 years of experience. Abu Dhabi Capital Group is a private institutional investment house based in Abu Dhabi, having investments across various asset classes, industries and geographies.  
 
SSP Group comes with 50 years of experience in running F&B outlets and currently services international airports across 30 countries including Beijing Capital International Airport in China, Zurich Airport in Switzerland, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in the US, with more than 30,000 employees. Serving one million customers every day, SSP Group carries more than 300 brands around the world.
 
When the MTB is complete Abu Dhabi International Airport’s (AUH) overall capacity will reach 45 million passengers a year. In 2015, a record 23.3 million passengers used AUH as their origin, destination, or transit point.
 
The MTB, which is set to become the primary gateway for the national carrier Etihad Airways and its partners, will also include cargo and catering facilities, utilities, and related infrastructure. It is situated between the two runways at AUH allowing for the shortest possible journey from runway to parking stand and a quicker and smoother experience for passengers. - TradeArabia News Service