US. Areas USA has secured a major 25-year contract, estimated to be worth US$210 million, to operate new food & beverage facilities at Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5.
The concessionaire was awarded the contract through a negotiated deal, not a tender process, with Westfield Concession Management as part of the Terminal 5 commercial transformation. Areas is set to invest US$6.8 million into the facilities.
Areas will hire 140 workers to serve in the nine new outlets which cover a combined total area of about 1,100sq m.
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Areas USA’s Local Headlines Bar will serve gastropub fare at Chicago O’Hare T5 |
With the addition of this new contract to its portfolio, Areas will operate a total of 138 US locations spread across 11 airports and highways of the Florida Turnpike and Maryland (the latter two combined are expected to generate US$1,800 million over the next 35 years).
The operator said its offer combines a mix of Areas proprietary brands with recognised franchises, underpinned by the company’s broad experience in the US market.
New F&B concepts will include Mexican cuisine at Tortas Frontera, by local award‐winning chef Rick Bayless; quick and fresh sandwiches, salads and juices from Natural Break; authentic Italian pizza and pasta at Tocco; gastro-pub fare at Local Headlines Bar; and freshly ground, direct-trade coffee from Intelligentsia Coffee.
Areas has partnered with Chicago‐based restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises which will make its airport debut with four concepts: Hub 51, offering an eclectic choice of sushi, tacos, burgers and more; Mediteranean concept Urban Olive; Chinese and Thai food at Big Bowl; and hot Asian buns at Wow Bao.
Approximately 15% of Areas turnover comes from its US business, where the concessionaire has operated for six years.
With 66.7 million passengers in 2011 and 5 terminals, Chicago O’Hare International Airport is the fourth largest global airport passenger traffic volume and the second American in the field.
Look out for a major report on Terminal 5 in this week’s edition of The Moodie Report e-Zine, written on location by Senior Editor Gavin Lipsith. He speaks to Westfield Concession Management and Chicago Department of Aviation about the commercial offer at T5. The terminal is in the midst of a major upgrade that will shift the majority of the concession programme airside – previously 95% of concessions were landside – when it is completed in Autumn next year.
Westfield, which won the contract to develop the terminal in July last year, has promised a world-class retail and food & beverage line-up with tenants including Dufry Group (duty free and luxury) and its subsidiary Hudson Group (news and convenience), as well as Areas USA in F&B.
*NOTE: The Foodie Report is the sister title of The Moodie Report. Published in e-Zine format ten times a year, plus regular coverage on this website, The Foodie Report covers all revenue-generating travel-related food & beverage. For your free subscription please e-mail Genevieve.Knevitt@TheMoodieReport.com.
For advertising details, please contact e-mail Helen.Pawson@TheMoodieReport.com. Both titles also organise the annual Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, covering both airport and railway F&B.
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